The Lord of the Dragons: A Portrayal of Light
by Strawberry Fuzz
Summary: YGOLord of the Rings xover. As a devastating evil attempts to shroud Middle Earth in shadow, as well as the entire planet, it becomes a small hobbit's task to stop it and save mankind. One boy, one Fellowship, one Ring, countless dragons.
1. Prologue: One Ring and One Dragon

**Authors Note:** Ok, so this is my first ever fan fiction. It's Yu-Gi-Oh! intertwined with the Lord of the Rings. I've been dying to write this for about 2 years now, but just never had the time. But, hey! It's summer, so I can do as I please!

First of all, I'd like to give a little intro, so you know who will be replacing who in this story. For those of you, who do not like Lord of the Rings, bear in mind, that this is a totally different story. I've inserted dragons as the main focus, not just fighting and a ring. However, there will still be a ring. But you'll have to read the story in order to figure it out! Anyway, here are the characters from Yu-Gi-Oh! that will be replacing the ones from the Lord of the Rings.

Yugi Mutou – Frodo Baggins

Yami Yugi (Atem) – Legolas

Jonouchi Katsuya (Joey Wheeler) – Gimli

Anzu Mazaki (Téa Gardner) – Samwise Gamgee

Honda Hiroto (Tristan Taylor) – Pippin Took

Seto Kaiba – Aragorn

Sugoroku Mutou (Grandpa Mutou) – Bilbo Baggins

Yami Bakura – Witchking

Otogi Ryuchi (Duke Devlin) – Merry Brandybuck

Mai Kujyaku (Mai Valentine) – Eowyn

Malik Ishtar (Marik Ishtar) – Haldir

Isis Ishtar (Ishizu Ishtar) – Galadriel

Dartz – Saruman

Mahado – Gandalf the Gray

Dark Magician – Gandalf the White

Ancient Bakura (With Tan) – Sauron

Ancient Bakura's Black-Hooded Followers – Ringwraiths

Here are some of my OC that are main. OK, well it's only one so far, but that could change:

Critiàsa – Arwen

And that's all I can think of for right now. If I think of any others, I'll post them at the beginning of the chapter. Anyway, since this is my first fan fiction, go easy on me. No flames, please? If you have any suggestions for the story, and I'll TRY to put them in. I've kinda got the whole plot out, since I'm following the movie. However, I'll try hard to put extra in if the story is not going your way. So, on to the main attraction! Without further intro, here's The Lord of the Dragons: A Portrayal of Light Emerges!

_Italics_ – Isis talking

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, nor Lord of the Rings, so don't even begin to think about sueing me!**

Prologue: One Ring and One Dragon to Rule Them All . . .

_The world has changed . . . I feel it in the water . . . I feel it in the earth . . . I smell it in the air . . . Much that once was . . . is lost . . . For none now live . . . who remember it._

_It began with the forging of the Great Rings. Three were given to the elves, which were immortal, wisest, and the fairest of all beings. Seven were given to the Dwarf Lords, whom were great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls. And nine Rings were gifted to the race of men, who above all else . . . desire power._

_These Rings were special indeed. Each one granted it's master a unique Ka with powers unimaginable. These Ka ruled by their masters peacefully, only striking with their might when necessary. They possessed the power and will to govern each race. But the evil of a Ka is determined by how evil it's master is . . . The last thing any of them expected, though, was for another ring to be made . . ._

_In the land of Helmosore, in the fires of Mt. Doom, the Dark Lord Bakura forged, in secret, an evil ring to control all others. And into this ring, he poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life. The Ka that was produced by this ring was by far the most powerful monster this world has ever come to know. It was a dragon with scales of pure black, symbolizing evil itself. It's wings contained giant, 20 feet wide, rubies to symbolize blood. Every inch of it's body was sharp, and anyone besides Bakura, who tried to touch it died immediately. With a height of 300 feet, it made even the bravest warrior quake in fear. But the thing that made it so terrifying was its red eyes. These eyes contained the essence of death, of fear, of pain, of everything that was menacing in the world. And so, with this symbol of evil born, it became known as the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon._

"_One Ring To Rule Them All, One Dragon To Rule Them All . . . ."_

_One by one, free lands of Middle Earth fell to the power of the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon and the Dark Lord Bakura. But there were some who resisted . . ._

_A last alliance of men and elves marched against the armies of Helmosore. The army contained creatures of pure wickedness: Selendrills (Looks like the "Troop Dragon" card), giant lizards with red eyes and scaly skin. They had wings, though not powerful enough to lift their enormous weight. Their armor was thick, and their shields heavy. They were another little twist, signifying Bakura's evil. On the slopes of Mt. Doom, they fought for the freedom of Middle Earth . . ._

_Great numbers died in this war. It's impossible to tell how many. Arrows and swords were used by the men and elves. The elves also use their magic to fight. The Selendrills used maces, spears, and jagged swords. It was a brutal fight. Whenever victory came close, more reinforcements arrived, turning the tide of battle. It was as if Light was actually clashing with Dark._

_One of the great kings of men had been in the battle. He was one of the chosen nine that received a Great Ring: Isildur. When all hope seemed to be lost, he used his last bit of strength to summon his Ka, and make an attempt to defeat the enemy. The Ka was also a dragon, though not as powerful as the Darkness Dragon. It was green, with a flash of a tan belly. It's wings were enormous, each with a with of 180 feet. It's height was at least 240 feet. On it's thighs, diamonds grew, creating an aquatic, reflective view as it rose to power. Isildur smirked as he called, "_Come out, my faithful Luster Dragon!"._ The Selendrills all shuddered in fear at this mighty beast. The Luster Dragon opened it's mouth as shards of bright, lighted gems flew out. Each was the size of a large boulder. Across the battlefield, Selendrills fell to their death as the enemy became all but defeated. Victory was near . . ._

_But the power of the Ring could not be undone. The Dark Lord Bakura entered the battle himself, and spoke face to face with Isildur, who by now had become nervous._

"Ha! You think you can defeat the almighty power of the Ring? Never!" Bakura claimed. "As long as I'm around, so shall evil. So why don't you just do us all a favor, and surrender!"

"I shall die before I surrender to the likes of you! You are a burden to this earth, and must be put to rest!" Isildur declared defiantly.

"That was the last insult from your mouth, almighty _king_," Bakura taunted. "I tried to be nice, but it looks like you want to go to your death the _hard way_!"

_With this, the Dark Lord Bakura became surrounded by a dark cloud, and the terrible Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon came forth._

"Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon . . . Let us remove these imbeciles from our world . . . BLACK FLAME OF MALEVOLENCE!"

_And with that, the Darkness Dragon mustered a blast of pure black fire, so hot, it burnt the Luster Dragon in less than one second. This left Isildur on the ground, choking for air as his Ka died. Bakura approached Isildur, then kicked him hard._

"Such a waist of a Ka . . . nothing more than a shadow to my creature," Bakura continuously taunted. "Heh, heh . . . see you in the afterlife . . . Oh wait, no I won't."

_As his dragon prepared to strike again, Isildur rolled on his back, sword in hand, and swung with his entire last bit of energy. The blade hit Bakura's hand, and cut it off. Bakura then screamed in agony as the ring fell to the ground. The Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon roared in pain, then exploded in unison with his master. The blow knocked everyone in the surrounding 100 miles on their backs, it was so powerful. Bakura, the enemy of the free peoples of Middle Earth, was defeated._

_Isildur took up the Ring that was left behind and gazed at it and his handiwork. He had just one chance to destroy evil forever . . ._

_But the hearts of men . . . are easily corrupted. The Ring of Power has a will of it's own._

_Years later, a band of wild Selendrills attacked Isildur and his soldiers. The Ring of Power betrayed Isildur to his death._

_And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend . . . legend became myth, and for two and a half thousand years, the Ring passed out of all knowledge. Until, when chance came, it ensnared a new barer. _

"My Precious . . . ."

_The ring came to the creature, Gollum, who took it deep into the tunnels of the misty mountains. And there, it consumed him._

"It came to me . . . My own . . . My Love . . . My Precious . . ."

_The Ring brought to Gollum unnatural long life. For five hundred years, it poisoned his mind. And in the gloom of Gollum's cave, it waited. Darkness crept back into the forest of the world. Rumor grew of a shadow in the East, whispers of a nameless fear. And the Ring of Power's time had now come. It abandoned Gollum. But something happened then the Ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable. A hobbit, Sugoroku Mutou, of the Shire._

_For the time will soon come when hobbits will shape the fortunes of all . . . . ._

And that's it! Hope you like the intro . . . as you can tell, I like to do ellipsis's ( . . . ). I kind of took some stuff from the movie, and put my own stuff into it. Anyway, that's the prologue. I'll get chapter one up here soon. R&R, but please no flames?


	2. Yugi and the Shire

**Author's Note:** Well, here's another chapter. Hope 'yall like it. Now it's on to the main story. I hope you all agree with my character arrangement, 'cause it's staying that way. Like I said before, I've been imagining this for a long time, so the plot's run out already. But, if you have any suggestions, feel free to tell me, and I'll at least consider it. Anyway, here you go!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings. Want to, but don't. That's just how the world works, you know?**

Chapter 3: Yugi and The Shire

It was a nice, quiet day. The woods were an excellent place to concentrate. It was always sunny and beautiful in the Shire. Everywhere you looked, there was green. Everything you smelled was green. Everything you tasted was green. It was one of those places where you go to visit, and you never want to leave.

The Shire was the home of the hobbit folk. Hobbits were what you called "half-links". They usually grow to about 5 feet or less around 12 years old, and stop there. Hobbits were seriously misunderstood creatures because of their height. Many don't seem to care, but for those who do, it's a frustrating thing to live with. They are very strong willed, as well. Once a hobbit gets his or her mind on one thing, you can't discourage them. Other than that, they are no different from men.

It was in the woods of Kalifore that Yugi Mutou lay against a tree, reading a book. Yugi was a strange looking hobbit. His hair was many shades, starting with a purplish pink, then black, and then with blond bangs. It stood straight up in the air, too. He wore a cotton sweater that allowed his skin to breathe in the musky, humid air. His pants went down just past his knees, and were of the color brown. He wore a necklace with a pendant of an Egyptian eye. He wore no shoes, but was rather barefoot.

Suddenly, he heard a noise. He looked up from his book and listened. Yes, that was the sound of someone singing a song. Yugi even recognized the song: "Over the Grass". There was only one other person who knew that song! Yugi closed the book and ran towards the edge of the forest. Truth be told, he was expecting someone who knew that song that day. As he ran closer, he heard hoof prints, and the song could be heard clearer.

When he got to the edge, he saw a man on a carriage. The carriage was being pulled by a brown horse. The man was dressed in a tan outfit. It looked like a dress at first sight, but it wasn't. Around his waist, a rope tied the "dress" closer to him. The shoulders had gold on them, and from the gold, a cape of cloth. You could not see the man's hair, as it was covered with a sort-of "head band" that had more gold attached to it. His skin was a deep tan, from being in the sun for long periods of time.

"You're late," Yugi stated as he recognized the man. He crossed his arms and waited for an answer.

The man brought his carriage to a stop. "A magician is never late, Yugi Mutou. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to." Both stared at each other with serious stares, until finally the man and Yugi both started laughing happily at one another.

"It's wonderful to see you, Mahado!" Yugi exclaimed as he jumped off of the ridge he was standing on, and into Mahado's arms. Both rocked back and forth for a minute, and then Yugi took his place next to his old friend.

"Why, Yugi, you didn't think I would miss your Grandfather's birthday, did you?" Mahado asked gleefully. He chuckled as Yugi smiled back, and then rode on. Once they were in the sunflower fields, where they could see other hobbits working, hey talked again.

"So, what news of Egypt? Tell me everything!" Yugi demanded. He had always been interested in Egypt, and Mahado always had interesting information.

"Everything?" Mahado asked in mock shock. He chuckled a bit. "You know, curiosity isn't a common trait in hobbits . . . You're a little eager, aren't you? Well then, let's see . . . There's been a new Pharaoh appointed, did you not hear?"

"Really? Is it the prince you told me you knew?" Yugi asked in shock. He didn't expect something this interesting.

"Yes, and he's doing quite well. He even looks a bit like you, though maybe a bit taller! Now let's see . . ." It took a bit for Mahado to think of something worth telling. "My apprentice, Mana, is getting along quite well, too. She had to stay behind, though. There has to be at least one top magician at the palace."

"I'd like to meet her one day . . ." Yugi said thoughtfully.

"So, what else can I tell you? Life in the wide world goes on, as much as it has this past age. Full of comings and goings. Yet, there is still an existence of hobbits, which to me is like a sign of peace," Mahado stated. He always gave words of wisdom, always amazing Yugi.

As they headed into town, Mahado looked around. It was the same Shire as ever. Hobbits cleaning their front porches, doing business with friends and customers, laughing, smiling, talking, all signs of peace. Some even started to notice his arrival. "Look! It's Mahado!" "What did he bring this time?" "Good, he's on time for once" were the remarks and questions that were heard as he and Yugi rode on by. Later on, they saw preparations for the party that night taking place. Tents were going up, food was being cooked, banners were posted up, and so on and so forth. One banner caught Mahado's eye. It said 'Happy Birthday Sugoroku Mutou' on it.

"So how is he?" Mahado asked. "I hear the party's going to be _very_ special, with great importance," His curiosity rose as he saw Yugi laugh a bit.

"You know Grandpa . . . he's got the entire Shire in a chaos. Not to mention half of it's been invited to the party," Yugi revealed.

"Oh, well, that should please him. Never knew a day when old Sugoroku wasn't busy," Mahado laughed a bit. He was nearing his destination on the road.

"I don't know . . . he's been acting so strange lately, and this party makes that feeling worse. I just get the feeling that he's up to _something_," Yugi said, half to himself, and half to Mahado. Mahado just laughed some more. "What's so funny?" As he continued to chuckle, Yugi got the point. "Alright, be quiet then. You know, before you came along, we Mutou's were well thought of. We never had any adventures, or did anything unexpected," Yugi joked.

Mahado replied after a pause, "If your referring to the incident with the dragon, I was barely involved. . . . All I did was give your Grandpa a little nudge out of the door . . . !"

"Well, what ever you did, you've been officially labeled a disturber of the peace, whether you like it or not," Yugi told him in a matter of fact tone. As they rode on, they saw an ugly woman sweeping her front walkway. When she saw him, she gave a deathly glare. Mahado looked the other way and saw some children running up to him screaming "Mahado! Mahado!" and "Magic trick, PLEASE!" Mahado continued to travel without doing anything, considering in his head what Yugi just said. Then he heard their murmurs of sadness. About a second later, multiple blasts of light came out of nowhere as he raised his staff and called out a spell. The children cheered and clapped happily. Even the old, ugly woman giggled . . . until she saw the look that her daughter was giving her. Yugi and Mahado could do nothing but snicker after that. Then Yugi stood up on the carriage, preparing to leave.

"Mahado, I'm glad your back," He jumped down as he heard Mahado say "So am I, Yugi!" Yugi watched him ride off to the direction of his house. He smiled then turned and left.

" . . . So am I . . ." Mahado mumbled to himself. He continued to travel, looking forward to seeing an old friend of his later on.

**Well, that's chapter 3. What do you think so far? It was kind of hard to explain Mahado's outfit, since all I could think of was the word "dress". What else would you call it? Anyway, R&R, but no flames please?**


	3. An Old Hobbit's Best Friend

**Author's Note:** Chapter 4 is up. Sorry that it took a while. For some reason, my computer (s) wouldn't let me update. Yes, I tried two computers, and it still wouldn't work. Anyway, sorry. I would like to give thanks to Isis the Sphinx, Mystic Maiden 18, and Lara Chubb of Deephollow for your reviews. They are really appreciated. OK, so Mahado has a ROBE on, not a DRESS. My mistake. It is possible that almost everyday during this summer, there will be an update. I'm not so sure about when school comes, so you might have to wait then. In July, I'm taking extra classes in summer school for extra credit, so there might be a day or two missed then. Other than that, updates all around! Enjoy! 

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 4: An Old Hobbit's Best Friend

Mahado rode his horse up a steep enough hill, leading to a cozy looking house on the top. The walls of the house couldn't really be seen, though. Grass, weeds, and plants had grown long enough that they clung to the house's walls. Therefore, it was part of the earth itself. The door was a wide circle made out of wood. Its height wasn't that tall, though, since hobbits are short anyway. The windows were made out of stone and wood. As a final touch, a fresh green garden surrounded every inch of the property. Mahado smiled at Sugoroku's handiwork as he pulled his brown horse to a stop.

Mahado jumped off of his carriage and opened the front gate, ignoring the sign attached to it saying "No Admittance (Except On Party Business)". He walked up to the door and knocked on it with his wooden, hand crafted, staff. A muffled voice that came from inside the house said "No thank-you! We don't want anymore visitors, well-wizards, or made up relations!" Sugoroku's voice sounded very annoyed at the moment.

"Well, then, I guess an old friend is not welcome, either. Thank-you, anyway," Mahado yelled back. He didn't move from where he was standing, though. He knew Sugoroku too well. About two seconds later, he heard hurried footsteps, a rambling of locks being undone, and then the sound of a handle being turned. The door opened, and there stood Sugoroku Mutou, looking as well as any old hobbit should. Maybe even a bit healthier. He was as short as all hobbits were, his hair as gray as smoke. It could be inferred that his hair was just like Yugi's, defying gravity, but most of it was tied under a thick cloth headband. He wore a white cotton shirt under a green vest that was tightly buttoned up. His pants were, like Yugi's brown and ended just past his knees. He had no shoes on.

". . . _Mahado_ . . ?" Sugoroku gasped in sheer amazement. It had been a long time since they last saw each other.

"Sugoroku Mutou" Mahado said slowly, taking in his appearance and his happiness. They were soon engulfed in a big hug, laughing and taking in the shock. "Right, now, let me take a good look at you," Mahado said as ha kneeled down to Sugoroku's height. He put his hands on Sugoroku's shoulders and gazed into his eyes. "You haven't aged a day . . ." Mahado gasped. He looked the same as he had last seen him, which was long ago. They both laughed, and then Mahado stood up.

"Well, come on! Come in! There's so much to catch up on!" Sugoroku said gleefully as he ran to the door, waving his hand for Mahado to follow. Mahado bent down to enter the house, since the door was below his height. "Welcome! Welcome!" Sugoroku bowed down, letting Mahado observe his house. His head almost touched the ceiling. Sugoroku closed the door, then took Mahado's staff and leaned it against the corner.

"Would you like some tea? Or, perhaps something a little stronger? I've got a few bottles in the old wing yard. 1296, very good year. It's almost as old as I am!" He laughed as he ran around the house, trying to make it more presentable. It was a very nice house. All of the hallways were circular, and everything was made out of wood. It seemed that books and papers were everywhere. There were many rooms, and sunshine was something you could not avoid in this house. Sugoroku kept ranting on and on as he ran to the kitchen, talking about things even Mahado couldn't understand.

"Just tea, thank-yoOW!" Mahado had tried to back up, but had accidentally run into a brass chandelier. He always forgot how hard it was to get around in this house, with his tallness, and all. Mahado steadied the chandelier, but as he turned to his left to enter another room, he bumped his head on a piece of the ceiling that was lower than he was bent over. "OH!" Mahado rubbed his head a bit, and then proceeded into the living room. More books were on every ledge and table. A fireplace was on the right side of the room. It was alight, so it made the room very warm and cozy. Ancient ancestor pictures hung above the fireplace, and everything was still made out of wood. A window was on the left side of the room, and below it, a table with a book. As Mahado leaned down to look at its pages, he glimpsed Sugoroku running by the other circular archway, where the kitchen was. Yes, he was still talking to Mahado about random stuff, and Mahado caught his saying "Oh, there's some cheese here. A bit old . . . oh well!" and "You caught me a little unprepared, I'm afraid."

Sugoroku came into the living room, still talking. "So, how's Egypt and your appren – " Sugoroku stopped in mid sentence, noticing that Mahado wasn't in the room. He looked around. There was a look of sadness on his face, as he thought Mahado had left. But then Mahado appeared behind him, in the kitchen.

"Everything's going fine, thank-you," Sugoroku turned around, startled. He looked at Mahado, and then calmed his heart from the surprise and smiled. He put some of the food in his mouth, and then said "Yu nho op a voy ohh tyu?" Surprisingly, Mahado understood this and replied "No, no, not at all."

Sugoroku giggled. Suddenly, there was a loud knocking on the door. Sugoroku nearly choked, startled. He quickly leaned against the wall, and looked at Mahado. Mahado looked confused. "I'm not at home!" Sugoroku explained quietly. There were voices outside as the banging continued, the hobbits threatening to break the door down if he didn't answer them. Mahado just chuckled, sitting down in a chair.

"I've got to get away from the confounded relatives, hanging on the string! They never give me a moment's peace!" He went to the small kitchen window and looked out, seeing the visitors leave. "I want to see mountains again, Mahado. Mountains! And then find somewhere quiet where I can finish my book," Sugoroku looked at the floor, his mind somewhere else. It took a moment, but he came back to reality. ". . . Oh! Tea, yes, of course," he ran off to the fire and picked up the tea kettle.

"So you mean to go through with your plan, Sugoroku?" Mahado asked.

"Oh, yes, yes. It's all been arranged," He poured a bit of the tea into a cup and handed it to Mahado. "Yugi suspects something," Mahado warned. He took a sip of the tea.

"Well, of course he does. He's a Mutou, after all! Not some block-headed rose girl from Hardbuttle." Sugoroku didn't look the least bit surprised.

"You will tell him, won't you?"

". . . Yes, yes, yes . . ." Sugoroku put the kettle back on the hook above the fire.

"He's very fond of you," Mahado meant for his words to touch Sugoroku. And they did. He stopped what he was doing and looked at Mahado.

"I know . . ." Sugoroku said very quietly. "He'd probably come with me if I asked him to. But, I think in his heart, Yugi's still in love with the Shire, the woods and the fields, the clear rivers . . . . . . . I'm old, Mahado. I know I don't look it, but I'm beginning to feel it in my heart . . ." He put his hand in his pocket and grabbed hold of something. Mahado noticed this and looked at the pocket very carefully, suddenly sensing an evil presence in the room. "I feel thin," Sugoroku took a seat across from Mahado. "Sort of stretched, like . . . butter scraped over too much bread. I need a vacation, Mahado. A very long vacation. And I don't expect that I shall come back. . . . In fact, I mean not to."

* * *

Mahado and Sugoroku sat looking out on the field, observing the sunset. They sat on a bench in front of Sugoroku's house. Both had pipes, and were making shapes out of smoke. Below, in the field, the long awaited party for Sugoroku Mutou was being prepared. It was almost done, too. Tents for miles across could be seen, lights of all colors lit up the entire landscape, a variety of delicious food scents could be smelled, and a huge gathering of people were assembling. 

"Turnoleaf. It's the finest smoke in the Shire. What do you think?" Sugoroku asked, sucking in a blast of Turnoleaf, and blowing out a perfectly round smoke ring. Mahado raised an eyebrow, since this gave him an idea. He sucked in some smoke, too, and then blew it out. He moved his mouth in many different ways as the smoke exited. The final product was a smoke ship. The ship was of the shape of an Egyptian raft, with the outstretched wings of Ra, and Ra's eye on each side of the ship. The smoke ship sailed through the waters of the air, and flowed through Sugoroku's smoke ring. Sugoroku gasped. No man or hobbit could produce a smoke object that accurate. After all, Mahado was a magician, so it was expected of him to do extraordinary things.

"Mahado, my old friend . . . this will be a night to remember . . ."

**End. I'm sorry that this chapter was kind of short (at least, in my opinion), but that's all that was of the scene in the movie. I assure you, there will be MUCH longer chapters in the future. But, if you like short chapters, then this one must have pleased you. Stay tuned for Sugoroku's party in Chapter 5! R&R, but please, no flames? Reviews would be very nice.**


	4. A Party to Remeber

**Author's Note:** Sorry that it's been a while. I had to go to some wedding this past weekend. The guy getting married was my grandmother's friend's son (I don't even know these people!). I had to drive all the way out to Tim-Buc-To (or however you spell it) and stay over night at a hotel. Anyway, the point is that I couldn't write there because the hotel has no DVD players and I can't watch movies on my laptop. So, here's a chapter 3 days late. Hope you enjoy this one. I think the plot will really start up after this.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 5: A Party To Remember

Fireworks paraded over the grounds of Sugoroku Mutou's birthday party. They were of every color imaginable. The shapes that they created could only be possibly made by magic, which was a skill Mahado was a master at. As the sparks fell to the ground, they changed colors. Music was heard from miles away. It had a Celtic/Irish mood to it. At the far side of the field stood the Great Tree Sodfurwa. Beneath it was the sign Mahado and Yugi had seen lifted up earlier, saying "Happy Birthday Sugoroku Mutou". All around, hobbits danced wildly. Each had a smile of happiness on their face. They were all enjoying life's greatest moments: eating, drinking, singing, or anything else that made a hobbit happy.

Everyone suddenly started to cheer loudly as five hobbits carried the most enormous cake toward a table. The cake had at least one hundred candles on top, making it seem as though it were on fire itself.

In the middle of the dance floor, Yugi Mutou was seen dancing his heart out, a huge smile on his face. Friends surrounded him, clapping and cheering him on. Some girls started to cheer, too. It seemed as though half the Shire's attention was on Yugi. At a nearby table, a hobbit with dark brown hair and light blue eyes sat watching Yugi, as well. She was wearing a pink skirt that had ruffles on the bottom. She also had a pink shirt on that had the same design, but covered by another, thicker clothed, purple "tank-top" like shirt with a bow tie on it. She had purple shoes on. As Yugi turned toward her direction, his gaze found hers. The girl suddenly found herself blushing the color of her outfit as Yugi's eyes met hers, but his moved on as he continued to dance. Smiling in an affectionate way, she watched him. She then looked to her right to see Sugoroku greeting his party guests as he walked around, a drink in his hand.

As she turned back to her food, someone sat next to her, and she found herself blushing again, the temperature suddenly getting hotter.

"Yugi! Why aren't you dancing?" She stuttered as Yugi turned toward her.

"I was just about to ask you the same question, Anzu. You're an awesome dancer, and should be showing off with me."

Anzu smiled at Yugi, touched by his compliment. "No, I don't really feel like dancing. Besides, I'm having just as much fun watching you. . . . I th-think I'll just get another drink or s-something." She felt a bit anxious to get away from him, as she was burning up. As she got up, Yugi grabbed her arm defiantly.

"Oh, no you don't!" He then pulled her to the dance floor, now swimming with other hobbits, and started to dance with her. At first she struggled to get free, but after a while, gave up and followed Yugi's step. Yugi was right. She was a great dancer.

More fireworks were rocketed in the air by Mahado. "Watch out, kids, this one's more complicated!" Mahado told the children watching him and the fireworks. Mahado yelled a spell that made his staff become a so called "match", and the firework soared up. About 120 feet above the ground, it exploded into what looked like a white, upside down bowl. Then the missiles spread out in different directions, sending sparks everywhere.

In another area of the party grounds, Sugoroku Mutou sat surrounded by little hobbits listening to his story. "So there I was," Sugoroku explained, "And then I saw three _monstrous_ trolls! And they were all arguing amongst themselves about how they were going to cook us. Whether they should smoosh us by sitting on us, one by one, or crush us into jelly!" Sugoroku's voice had a tone that told he was exaggerating. The children were convinced, though, as they all gave out cries of horror. "They spent so much time arguing, that the Withertoons and the Whitedwarfs made suns of bright light, and POOF!" The children screamed from being startled, "Turned them all to stone!" He nodded as if trying to convince them, as if they didn't believe.

Mahado walked over to the back of his carriage, pulled out some more fireworks, and went back to lighting them up. From behind the carriage, a hobbit with black hair and green eyes poked out, looking to see that Mahado was gone. He wore a white, long-sleeved shirt with a red vest over it, and brown pants in the same style as Yugi's and Sugoroku's. Like all hobbit's, he had no shoes on. His black hair was tied in a ponytail, and it went down to the middle of his back. He hit his hand on something solid behind the walls of the tent right next to him. The cloth moved, and another hobbit came out from behind. This hobbit also had a white shirt on, but it was covered by a green vest. His pants were full length, and were light brown. His hair was a bit strange. It was a grayish brown, pointing outward above his face and had a geometric shape to it. The hobbit with the black hair supported him while he came around, and then they turned toward the carriage. The black-haired hobbit gave the brown-haired one a boost, and the he landed in the back of the carriage. The black-haired hobbit looked over his shoulder to see if Mahado was looking, but he was lighting a firework that exploded into butterflies made of sparks. The children danced around him, trying to catch them, while Mahado laughed enjoyably. The brown-haired hobbit grabbed a firework from the carriage and showed it to the other, looking for approval.

"No, no. The big one! The big one!" The black-haired hobbit said quietly, looking over his shoulder again to make sure that Mahado was still not looking. The hobbit in the carriage shuffled around some more, and then brought a firework that looked like a giant snake to the surface. Both hobbits smiled in glee, and they took the firework stealthily inside the tent. Inside, they pushed the stake holding the firework into the ground a little ways. The brown-haired hobbit lit a match, and put the flame on the fuse, instantly igniting it.

"Done!" He said.

"You're supposed to stick it in the ground!" The black-haired hobbit exclaimed, passing the firework over to the other.

"It is in the ground!" The brown-haired hobbit passed the firework back. It would shoot up any second now.

"Outside!" The other hobbit added, passing the firework again.

"This was _your _idea!" Both continued to push the lit up rocket into the other's arms, like a game of hot potato.

The time was up, and the firework soared into the air, leaving a blast of fire and smoke behind. It couldn't blast through the tent's roof, so it simply took the tent with it. Hobbits all around erupted screams of terror, shock, panic, and amazement. Everyone stopped what they were doing. Anzu and Yugi stopped dancing, Mahado stopped lighting up his fireworks, Sugoroku stopped telling stories, and everyone else stopped talking and eating. The two hobbits that caused this fell to the floor on their backs, smoke surrounding them. They both had soot on their faces from being so close to the fire. When the firework reached its maximum height, it exploded into giant red sparks. Soon, the sparks took form of a dragon. It was huge, with a 130 feet wingspan. It was made completely out of fire, making it look more like a phoenix than a dragon. The dragon turned around in the air and started to fly toward the party grounds. The light from it was very bright. Hobbits started running from it, scared that it might burn them. Yugi separated from Anzu, looking frantically around.

"Grandpa . . ." Yugi was worried that he might not be able to save his grandfather before the dragon attacked. It was getting closer every second. His eyes soon found him, though, and he ran over to help him run. "Grandpa! Watch out for the dragon!" He anxiously tried to push him further, but Sugoroku just protested unbelievingly.

"Dragon? Nonsense! There hasn't been a dragon in these parts for a thousand yea-WOAH!" Yugi had pulled his grandfather to the ground before the dragon could strike. It had been right behind him, snapping viciously in the air. It then flew over everyone, and went up higher, waving its fiery wings. Once it was high enough, it turned around, facing the party, and hovered in the air. Flailing its wings with graceful moves, it ushered a loud cry. It sounded like a cross between a lion and an eagle. Then it burst into an enormous series of red fireworks that lasted for about 2 minutes. By then everyone's fear had vanished and was replaced by an awe-inspiring feeling. All of the hobbits applauded and clapped at the sight. Once the explosions were finished, everyone went back to what they were doing, laughter all around. Over to where the dragon firework had ignited, the two hobbits just stood where they were, hair blown back, faces covered in soot, full of awe.

"That was good," The black-haired hobbit breathed.

"Let's get another one!" The brown-haired hobbit replied, still starting at where the dragon had exploded in the sky. From behind, a man in a tan robe appeared. He grabbed their ears and twisted them hard. Both squealed like little girls. It was extremely painful to get an ear twisted. Both looked up to see who their twister was, and saw Mahado glaring down at them.

"Otogi Ryuchi . . ." Mahado indicated to the black-haired hobbit, "And Hiroto Honda," He indicated to the brown-haired hobbit, "I might have known." He gave a smirk and dragged them by the ears towards some buckets of water with soap in them. Hobbits stood there cleaning the many, many dirty dishes. Mahado dismissed all of the other hobbits and set Otogi and Hiroto to work while he watched over them.

A little later, the hobbits had all gathered around the stage that was set up for Sugoroku. They were all demanding for him to give a speech on it. He turned them all down, but none would give up. Sugoroku finally gave in with a laugh and went up to the stage. He gave a shrug that said "Well, if I must" and cleared his throat. Everyone stopped insisting for his speech and started to clap.

"My dear Baggins' and Buffigs," Everyone clapped at that, "Toots and Hondas," Even more clapping, "Brutts," A cheer from that family, "Chupps," Cheers from that one, "Wortmorels," More cheering and clapping, "Goldiers," Cheering, "Pracegadolls," A big applaud, "And Proudfoots!" That same grumpy woman was lying on some chairs and corrected him saying, "Proudfeet!" Sugoroku gave her a friendly look that said "You're right," and went on with his speech. Yugi was smiling broadly in front of the crowd, sitting next to Anzu. "Today is my one hundred and 'inhabidith' birthday!" Sugoroku said, putting emphasis on how old he was. There was a lot of cheering at that. Obviously, hobbits like to cheer. "Alas, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable hobbits," More clapping, "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like to, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." At this, everyone looked at each other, confused looks on their faces. They were not sure what Sugoroku was trying to say. Mahado just smiled, for he knew what he was getting at. "I, uh . . . ,"He took a long pause at this and moved his hand to his pocket, grabbing hold of something again. Mahado once again felt some evil presence near, and narrowed his eyes. Yugi just sat there, the most confused of all of the other hobbits. What was his grandfather up to? Why was he acting like this? "I have things to do . . ." Sugoroku said quietly, and moved his hands behind his back, one of them holding something. He took a dramatic pause again. He looked as if he were deciding something. Then Sugoroku said to himself very quietly "I've put this off for far too long." Mahado stared at Sugoroku with observing eyes. Just now, he had absolutely no idea what Sugoroku was doing. He stared suspiciously at Sugoroku's hidden hand. Sugoroku then looked at the crowd. "I-I regret to announce that this is the end. I'm going now. I bid you all a very fond farewell," He then looked at Yugi, who looked very worried by now, and sighed, "Good-bye" He then slipped something over his finger while still starting at Yugi.

It all happened in a flash. One moment Sugoroku was standing on the stage, looking at someone in the crowd, and the next, he had disappeared entirely. At that, Yugi stood up, bewildered by Sugoroku's departure. Anzu, beside him, had her hands over her mouth in terror. Everyone else was in mass chaos, gasping, screaming, and running around in utter confusion. Over in the corner, Mahado was rigid still. His brown eyes were wide open, his mind pondering what had just happened. His mouth moved and his lips formed the words "_It can't be_,_"_ but he never found his voice. Otogi had stopped washing the dishes, and Hiroto had dropped one out of shock. No one understood what was going on, save one. Mahado jumped off of his seat and raised his staff. Then there was a flash of light, and he disappeared, too. No one had noticed his disappearance, though, as everyone was running around the party grounds, searching for Sugoroku.

But it was all in vain. Sugoroku Mutou was gone.

**End. Well, OK, I admit that it was hard describing Honda's hair. But, hopefully, you get the gist of what I was saying. I enjoyed doing this chapter, since there was more action going on. I get tired of those "sit and talk" scenes. If you haven't already, just picture the flaming dragon as The Winged Dragon of Ra's phoenix form. I wanted to describe it that way, but I don't think I did a very good job. Also, don't forget that besides Mahado, everyone is a hobbit. That means that Anzu, Hiroto, and Otogi are the same height as Yugi is. They're all around 5'. Anyway, there's Chapter 5. R&R, but no flames, please? Reviews would be nice.**

**P.S. - Heh, heh. OK, now this is weird. I just went to a wedding for my grandmother, and now I just found (and I really do mean JUST) out that my grandmother's friend died yesterday. . . . How depressing is that! I guess I'll have to go to that one, too. DANG IT!**


	5. Farewell to Sugoroku

**Author's Note:** Well, this is nice. I just got through cleaning the house, or at least vacuuming and dusting, and now I get to sit down, relax, and write my story. I'm going to enjoy this. I'm sorry if Chapter 5 was too long. There was just a lot of stuff going on at the same time, and I wanted to make sure that all of you got the point. A thanks to Isis the Sphinx for your comment. I'm glad you are enjoying the story, and I'll use your advice at that funeral, if I go to it. Haven't heard anything yet. Chapter 6 isn't going to be as exciting, but it helps dearly with the plot. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 6: A Farewell To Sugoroku

It was very late at night. Shrieks of horror could still be heard from the party grounds. Even on the highest hilltop, they were heard. From a distance, small, shadowy, figures were running around at the party, talking and screaming over what had happened, and wondering if Sugoroku was okay.

On the top of one of the highest hills was the Mutou house. The small gate used for entrance to the garden moved, but no cause of the motion was seen. It had just opened on its own. Then there was footsteps heard going up the stone garden stairs, but no one was there to make them. At least, no one visible. Suddenly, the round door to the Mutou cottage opened and closed, but once again, no one visible moved it.

Behind the door, inside the house, an outburst of laughter was heard. While the laughing continued, an old man appeared out of no where, as if out of thin air. He was still chuckling, looking at the golden ring he had just taken off of his finger. Sugoroku flipped it into the air like a coin, and then placed it into the right pocket of his vest. What he didn't notice, though, was a quick flash of white light that came from his living room.

Sugoroku walked into the back hallway of the house and grabbed a wooden walking stick. He then walked into the kitchen and grabbed two wax candles. But as he walked into the living room, where a warm fire was still burning, there was someone there he did not expect.

"I suppose you think that was terribly clever, Sugoroku," Mahado grunted, his back leaning on the mantle piece. Sugoroku jumped, startled, and looked around to find the source of the voice. When he saw Mahado there, he calmed a bit, but stood up for himself when he saw the glare in Mahado's eyes.

"Oh, come on, Mahado," Sugoroku paused a bit, and then laughed. "Ho, ho. Did you see their faces? Priceless, priceless," He continued to gather odds and ends from the living room. Mahado, on the other hand did not find this amusing.

"Hmm. There are many magic rings in this world, Sugoroku Mutou," Mahado said, his eyes following the old man as he fidgeted around the room, "None of them should be used likely."

"It was just a bit of fun! . . . Oh, you're probably right, as usual . . ." Sugoroku whined, walking over to the mantle piece above the fire, since Mahado had moved to the middle of the room. He pulled out his pipe, and then turned around to Mahado. "You will keep and eye on Yugi, won't you?"

"Two eyes. As often as I can spare them," Mahado's eyes where still following Sugoroku intently. Sugoroku went to the table in the room and picked up the book Mahado had looked at earlier.

"I'm leaving everything to him," Sugoroku explained.

"What about this ring of yours?" Mahado asked suspiciously, "Is that staying, too?" He went back to leaning on the mantle piece.

"Yes, yes. It's in the envelope right behind you," Sugoroku pointed at the mantle piece. Mahado glanced behind him, but knew that it was not there. He stared at Sugoroku's pocket. Then Sugoroku paused at what he was doing, looking puzzled. " . . . No . . . Wait . . . It's . . . Here in my pocket," He put his hand in his pocket slowly and pulled out a golden ring, still confused. Mahado felt the evil presence again as he saw the ring. Sugoroku rubbed its smooth surface, admiring it. "Heh . . . Isn't that . . . Isn't that odd, now?" Sugoroku still was looking at the ring, and Mahado felt the evil increase. "After all, why not?" Mahado couldn't see it, but there suddenly a wicked gleam in Sugoroku's eyes, "Why shouldn't I keep it?" Sugoroku whispered.

"I think you should leave the ring behind, Sugoroku. Is that so hard?" Mahado walked closer to Sugoroku, unsure about what was taking place, but knowing that something horrible was happening to his friend. Sugoroku darted around quickly, all evil gone from his eyes.

"Well, no," But the gleam came back again, and this time, Mahado saw it, ". . . And yes . . ." Sugoroku turned back around, looking at the ring. "Now it comes to it. I don't feel like parting with it. I found it! IT CAME TO ME!" All the time Sugoroku was saying this, Mahado felt the evil inside Sugoroku increase dramatically. He was not himself anymore. Mahado narrowed his eyes confusingly, and took another step toward Sugoroku.

"There's no need to get angry," Mahado said cautiously.

Sugoroku turned toward Mahado halfway, saying, "What if I'm angry? It's your fault!" Mahado was taken aback by Sugoroku's cruelty. " . . . It's mine . . . My own . . . My precious . . ." Sugoroku's eyes got wider as he spoke, taking on a possessed look. He petted the ring as if it were his belovéd.

"Precious?" Mahado narrowed his eyes even more. ". . . It's been called that before . . . But not by you." Sugoroku turned around abruptly, yelling and screaming at the top of his lungs, "What business is it of yours what I do with my own thing!"

"I think you've had that ring quite long enough!" Mahado was very worried about what was happening to his friend and had decided to take action.

"Y-You-You want it for yourself!" Sugoroku accused.

"SUGOROKU MUTOU!" Sugoroku backed up to the wall in fear. Suddenly, the room started to get darker, and Mahado seemed to become larger and fiercer that anytime Sugoroku had seen him. His eyes flashed in anger and concentration as he used his magic to conquer the darkness inside Sugoroku's heart. He stared down at Sugoroku furiously, making him shake in terror. "DO NOT TAKE ME FOR SOME CONGORER OF CHEAP TRICKS!" Wind suddenly started to blow around Mahado and into Sugoroku's face. "I AM NOT TRYING TO ROB YOU!" The darkness in the room then seemed to fade, the wind calmed, and Mahado became his usual size again. He had his eyes closed, trying hard to harness the anger and power he possessed. When everything was back to normal, he opened his eyes, and the look of worry, friendliness, and kindness could be found there. "I'm trying to help you," Mahado said in a calm, gentle tone. Sugoroku stepped away from the wall, fear in his eyes, and ran to Mahado. Tears started to fall as he hugged Mahado's waist saying "Mahado, oh Mahado . . ." The old and caring Sugoroku was back. Mahado rubbed Sugoroku's head, and then bent down to his height. "All your long years, we've been friends. Trust me as you once did," The look of kindness was still in Mahado's eyes, and this calmed Sugoroku down. ". . . Let it go . . ."

"You're right, Mahado. The ring must go to Yugi," Sugoroku then walked over to the table, leaving Mahado kneeling on one knee. He put on his backpack and his walking stick and started walking towards the door. "It's late. The road is long. . . . Yes, it is time," Mahado looked up at Sugoroku, realizing something. He stood up and walked over to the door. Just as Sugoroku was about to reach for the door handle, Mahado walked in front of it, blocking Sugoroku.

"Sugoroku . . . the ring is still in your pocket," Sugoroku looked confused for a moment, and then realized the meaning of Mahado's words.

"Oh, yes . . ." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. Mahado looked suspiciously at Sugoroku, narrowing his eyes. Sugoroku stared at the ring in his palm. His hand started to shake as he fought with himself to drop it. All Mahado did was watch Sugoroku. But suddenly, Sugoroku's hand started to tilt, and before he knew it, Sugoroku had dropped the mysterious ring, abandoning it forever. He then looked up at Mahado, smiling and satisfied with his accomplishment. Mahado smiled and moved away from the door. Sugoroku smiled back, and opened it. He walked out, and Mahado watched him. But five steps from his door, and Sugoroku paused. He then turned around and looked at Mahado.

"I thought up an ending for my book," He smiled, "And he lived happily ever after . . . to the end of his days." Mahado walked outside to join Sugoroku. He kneeled down once again to his friend's height.

"And I'm sure you will, my dear friend," Mahado was sad to see his oldest friend go, but was also happy that Sugoroku was following his dreams.

"Good-bye, Mahado," Sugoroku held out his hand. Mahado held the hand with both of his.

"Good-bye, dear Sugoroku," He winked at Sugoroku and let go of his hand. Sugoroku smiled, and Mahado smiled back. Then Sugoroku turned around and walked on. Mahado stood up and watched his old friend leave. Sugoroku closed his garden gate behind him, and walked down the old Shire trail. Just as he was about to turn a corner and be out of site for good, a sudden burst of flame erupted out of the sky. Sugoroku jumped at this, stopping in his tracks. The flame moved around, and then it took a form. A giant phoenix of flame, like the one earlier at the party, only smaller, appeared. Sugoroku just stared as the flaming phoenix gave out a fierce cry, like that of an eagle. Sugoroku turned around to see Mahado on his door step still, but he was holding his wooden staff above his head. Mahado smiled at Sugoroku, and Sugoroku smiled back. He gave the magician a thumbs up, and then turned back to see the phoenix. It flew up into the sky, soon becoming just an orange star, then vanishing completely. Mahado thought he heard Sugoroku say "Ho, ho," as he turned the corner and left. Now began Sugoroku's last and greatest journey of all.

**End. I hope you enjoyed it. I kind of added that phoenix thing just for a little fun and to express Mahado's magical power. I thought it was cool. Anyway, what do you think? After this, the action and plot really start to speed up. But, if you have watched the movie, you already knew that, didn't you? If you haven't, well then lucky you! R&R, but please no flames? Reviews would be nice.**


	6. A Forgotten Evil Reborn

**Author's Note:** Here is Chapter 7! I can't believe that I've gotten this far. Turns out that I didn't go to the funeral. No one told me that I had to go, so I didn't. Besides, the last thing that I want to see is people all around me crying. A thanks to Isis the Sphinx for your review, and hope that you enjoy this chapter. The plot speeds up now, so don't expect too much "goody-two-shoes" stuff anymore. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 7: A Forgotten Evil Reborn

Mahado lowered his staff, thinking to himself about all of the times he had shared with Sugoroku. He turned to the house, now Yugi's, lost in his memories. However, as soon as touched the door's copper handle, he felt a certain trembling pass through him, as if something behind the door did not want him to enter. He suddenly jolted back to reality, remembering the vice object that lied before him. He pushed open the door, all of the time his eyes watching the floor. When he spotted the golden, mysterious ring, he stopped in his tracks. After a pause, he walked into the house and closed the door behind him. He then circled the ring that was on the floor, as if trying to find any hidden features on it. But there was nothing.

Mahado bent over and moved his hand towards the ring. With every inch nearer, Mahado felt that same evil presence increase. Soon he felt the presence of some terrible monster as his fingers almost touched it. He stopped his hand to ponder over this feeling, but then continued on. When his fingers had all but touched the ring, he stopped his hand again. A flash of a giant eye suddenly appeared in Mahado's eyes. It lasted for much less than a second, but that was enough for Mahado to become aware of all of its features. It looked like a cat's eye at first, but could soon be told otherwise. The eye's pupil was a long, vertical diamond that was black. But around it, a sign of true horror was seen. The eye itself was wrapped in a blanket of pure red flame, a never ending cycle of heat and destruction. Not much else could be distinguished clearly. At the exact time that Mahado saw the vision, he also heard a roar in his head. It was very deep, and Mahado knew that the creature that ushered it was extremely powerful.

It all happened in an instant. Mahado quickly pulled his hand away, afraid of the power he had just glimpsed. He stood up again and looked at the ring more closely. _"Could it be . . . ?"_ Mahado thought, an awed expression on his face. He did not know exactly what this ring was, but he dared not touch it and find out.

* * *

Mahado sat in a wooden chair by the living room fire, lost in deep concentration. As he stared at the fire, it reflected in his eyes and on the gold that was attached to his outfit. All Mahado could think of at the moment were the words that Sugoroku had said earlier.

"_It's mine . . . My own . . . My Precious . . ."_

"It rules in the dark . . ." Mahado mumbled thoughtfully. Suddenly, he heard a cry outside the door. It sounded like Yugi, but Mahado took no notice. The front door behind him opened loudly, and he heard Yugi say "Grandpa? Where are you?" Once again, though, Mahado was too busy thinking to let his mind register Yugi's presence. There was a the sound of metal "clinking" against stone floor, and then Yugi noticed Mahado sitting near the fireplace. He walked into the living room, his hand holding something,

"My Precious . . ." Mahado mumbled, repeating Sugoroku's words. Yugi heard this and became curious.

"Precious?" Yugi asked. This broke through Mahado's thoughts, and he turned his head to Yugi. Yugi just looked into Mahado's eyes, trying to find the answer to Sugoroku's disappearance. It didn't take long for him to find it. He sighed and said, "He's gone hasn't he?" Mahado just continued to stare at Yugi, a bit of his mind somewhere else. "He talked for so long about leaving. I didn't think he'd actually do it . . ." When Yugi saw that Mahado was just gazing at him, not paying attention to his words, he knew something was wrong. Mahado had always listened Yugi. "Mahado?" Mahado blinked, back in reality, and looked at Yugi, this time with kind eyes. He then looked down and saw what Yugi was holding in his palm. It was the golden ring. His eyes widened, shocked at how Yugi was able to just pick up the ring without any trace of fear. Mahado looked back up to Yugi and smiled.

"Sugoroku's ring. . . .You're wondering where's he's gone, aren't you? He's going to stay with the elves," Mahado stood up and walked over to the table. He picked up a golden envelope and held it out to Yugi. "He's left you with everything in his possession." Yugi placed the ring into the envelope. As soon as he let go of it, Mahado pulled the envelope back quickly, placed a sticky piece of paper on the edge to close it, and then pressed hard. "The ring is yours now," Mahado held out the closed envelope to Yugi with both of his hands, and he took it. "Please . . . please keep it somewhere out of sight," Mahado smiled and then walked to the back hallway. "I have to go, Yugi," He said as he picked up his staff.

"Wh-Where are you going?" Yugi asked, following him hurriedly. He was still a bit confused on what was happening.

"There are some things that I must see to," Mahado was running around the house, bent over because of his height, grabbing supplies that might be needed for his journey.

"What things?"

"Questions," Mahado turned to face Yugi. "Questions that need answering," Mahado walked past Yugi and towards the door.

"But you've only just arrived!" It was one thing for Sugoroku to leave, but for Mahado to depart soon after, leaving him all alone? Yugi was not good at being alone. He always liked to have a friend nearby. "I don't understand."

Mahado paused, halfway out the door, and turned back to Yugi. His face was full of worry. "Neither do I, Yugi. Neither do I . . ." He stood there for a moment, thinking, and then walked straight up to Yugi. Mahado's face was inches from his. Yugi could see his brown eyes were clouded with fear, and he suddenly shared the pain. "Keep it secret," Mahado placed his right hand on Yugi's shoulder, "Keep it safe." He then turned back around and walked out of the house, not looking back. He closed the door behind him, leaving a very puzzled and scared Yugi behind, staring at the golden envelope.

**End. Well, for me, this was a short chapter. But, hey. That was all of the scene in the movie. Kind of hard to describe the Eye, but if you have watched the movie, then you know what I'm talking about. I had a shortage of words in my mind today, so I had to use the Thesaurus a lot. Sorry if a lot of words were repeated. R&R, but please no flames? Reviews would be nice.**


	7. History Revealed

**Author's Note:** Well, yet another chapter added. Not much else to say, except that I'm really enjoying writing this. I hope you're enjoying reading it, too. Seriously, I look forward to it every day. Thanks to Isis the Sphinx for your review. Also, I'd like to add that if you have any questions or suggestions, I'm open. Like I've said before, I have the general plot set out, but that's it. For now, though, here is Chapter 8 (Wow! I'm that far!). Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 8: History Revealed

Darkness was everywhere. It was in the walls, in the caverns, in the rocks, and especially in the hearts of the creatures of Helmosore. The pitch-black clouds thundered and roared as they swirled around the evil land. On the east side of the realm, a black volcano stood.

The buildings that existed there were made out of black rock. Some buildings had barely any effort put into the architecture, making them look like mountains with holes in them. Others had smooth walls of black charcoal. Both styles had pointy edges on almost every square inch of the outer walls, giving them a murderous look. On the land itself, trenches dug into the ground, populated by giant, disgusting, lizard-folk. Thesurface possibly could not be seen. The entire stretch of land was covered in Selendrills. Molten lava flowed in all directions. The main flow of it came from the giant volcano itself. The volcano blew out giant splashes of lava, making the entire place hot. And of course, as the symbol of evil itself, fire was everywhere.

Right by the volcano stood a tall tower that had somethingburning on top of it, shooting out a red beam of light in different directions.

And in the midst of this wicked realm, a significant event was taking place. In what seemed to be the castle of this kingdom, cries of torture and pain were heard from the inside. As the cries of help continued, Selendrills looked at the castle, wondering what was going on.

Then the person being tortured was able to usher two words before becoming unconscious.

"_Shire . . . MUTOU!"_

A huge blast of lava erupted from the volcano, as if knowing what those words meant.

* * *

A tower that glowed red vibrated. The gigantic metal doors gave a jerk, and then opened very slowly. All that could be seen of the inside was abright red light. From the light, as if out of nowhere, nine black horses with cloaked riders ran out of the doors. The horses ran at a speed that no normal horse could. They ran across a bridge that traversed over a sea of red flames. As the riders moved on, a noise that sounded like fingernails scratching a chalkboard was heard.

* * *

Mahado ran his horse like never before, galloping at full speed. He crossed moorlands, forests, rivers, and mountains, barely giving time for rest and recovery. By the second day of travel, his horse was exhausted, so Mahado cast a spell that made him better. When it was almost sunset, Mahado arrived at his destination. He rode over a steep hill, and then slowed the horse down. There, on his right, was the great city of Gondor. From his distance, it looked like a city carved out of the mountain itself. The sun was setting behind it, giving off rays of gold light. Mahado smiled at the sight, but then frowned as he saw what lay just miles across from it: black mountains, and behind it, a volcano erupting lava. It was the feared land, Helmosore. All evil was born and bred there. Mahado heard the thunders that came from it, and saw that the skies were a mixture of red and black above it. 

"Something's not right . . ." Mahado could sense a disturbance in the evil realm. Well, at least a bigger disturbance then usual. Helmosore was preparing for something, and that made Mahado shiver. Suddenly, a powerful, hot, blast of wind hit Mahado, and it forced him to hold on to the reigns harder than ever. His horse whinnied and snorted in protest, wanting to run away. The winds of Helmosore were stirring, and Mahado knew that this meant only one thing. He set his face determinately, and rode on for Gondor.

It was nearly nightfall by the time Mahado reached Gondor. The city gave off a radiant glow of white and gold as the sun gave out its last bit of light. Mahado arrived at the doors, and was asked a few questions upon his visit. Mahado answered and proved himself to be a wizard by casting a water spell, filling up the guards' drinks with fresh refills. He was allowed to pass, so he rode his horse to the stables, leaving it there. He climbed the city routes up to the top floor, besides the King's. Passing a few awe gazing peasants, who knew who he was, Mahado walked to the historic library. Only important officials were allowed in, but a skilled Egyptian magician was enough for Mahado to enter.

"Excuse me, Sir," Mahado asked urgently, "I need you to unlock the King's Chamber for me."

The guard was astonished by his knowledge of the Chamber, but stood his ground. "How would you know about that? Who are you, anyway?"

"I am a High Priest of Egypt, Mahado, and the highest-ranked magician. I come on my own business."

The guard became satisfied by the answer and led him over to a bookcase in the back of the room. He took a torch that was hanging on the wall next to him, and pulled out a book from the shelf. The bookcase moved very slightly, and he signaled for Mahado to follow quickly. Mahado followed the man down a path of circular stairs, until they reached a door. The guard took out a key and unlocked it. The door opened, and Mahado went inside.

It was a small room, full of books stacked up on one another from the floor and shelves with dusty papers. The guard bowed to Mahado and departed. Mahado went over to a shelf, his staff lit up to give him light, and grabbed some very old papers. He then went over a table in the room, set the papers down, and went to work. Sorting through page after page, Mahado looked through them. It was very late at night, but Mahado didn't care. He had to find the answer that had been racking his brain for a while now.

Just as Mahado was about to give up and rest for the night, he picked up one last record and looked at it. His eyes suddenly widened, dropping his drink. He had found the recorded paper. Out of excitement, Mahado readit out loud.

"'The year 3434 of the second age. Here follows the account of Isildur, High King of Gondor, and the Finding of the Ring of Power.

It has come to me. The One Ring that should be in handle of my kingdom. All those who follow in my bloodline should be bound to its fate, for I will risk no hurt to the Ring. It is precious to me, though I am bound to it with a great pain.

The markings along the back begin to fade. The writing that was at first as clear as red flame has all but disappeared. It is a secret now that only fire can tell.'"

At the bottom of the page, a sentace in a different language had been written.

Mahado lowered the paper slowly, his eyes wide with fear and shock. He had to get back to Yugi immediately.

* * *

In the middle of the Kalifore forest, a hobbit stood out in his front yard, chopping wood. His dog was right beside him, calm as ever. While continuing to chop, the hobbit heard his dog give a whine. He looked over tothe dogand sawhim cowering beside the wall of his house, staring at something behind the hobbit. The hobbit looked the other way and jumped. 

Before him was a black horse, twice his size. The horse was covered in gray armor, and its eyes glowed red. Its leg was bleeding badly, but the horse seemed to take no notice. The rider on the horse wasn't far off in terms of scary. He was cloaked, showing no parts of his body. His hands were also covered in gray armor. His eyes gave off the same glow that the horse did.

The hobbit's dog ran inside, full of fear. Slowly, the hooded rider turned its head toward the hobbit, his eyes burning into him.

"_Shire . . . . Mutou . . . ._" The hooded rider slowly said. It almost sounded like a whisper.

"N-No Mut-tous around h-here. W-With the h-hobbits in t-town," The hobbit stuttered. The horse gave a loud grunt, which was enough for the hobbit to run inside. "That way!" He quickly pointed towards the north, then closed the door. Almost as soon as he said it, the hooded rider ran his horse onward, others just like him following.

**End. Hope you liked it. I added the part with Mahado and the guard so you could get some background info on him, like the "High Priest" stuff. Of course, you knew that, but just in case. It adds to the story. I'll explain Helmosore (Mordor) a little more in depth later on. R&R, but please no flames? Reviews would be nice. **


	8. Yugi's Burden

**Author's Note:** Chapter 9! This should be exciting! Yet another chapter is up, and I'm enjoying every minute of it. Thanks to Isis the Sphinx for your comment. My father just came home from out of town, so I might miss a few days on updating. He really keeps me occupied. Also, I will be starting summer school on July 5th (Extra classes! I'm not stupid and failed a class!), so from there on, I might miss some days, too. Hope you like the story so far! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 9: Yugi's Burden

It was dusk, nearly nightfall. Yugi was leaving the Pippitire Pub, a popular social place in the Shire. As Yugi gulped down the last of his drink, he put down his money and got up from the table. He then walked over to the bar area and saw Anzu cleaning some glasses.

"Hey, Anzu," Anzu turned around in surprise.

"Yes Yugi?" She asked as she put down her glass. She had been watching him earlier, but did not expect for him to notice her.

"Is the Pub closing soon? I thought we could walk home together," His face was full of innocence. Anzu blushed a bit, but answered in a steady voice.

"Alright. Let me just finish up here," She hastily finished her job and grabbed her bag. They walked all the way home together, talking. They stopped in front of Yugi's house to say goodnight.

"Anzu, thanks for the walk. I get kind of lonely now that Grandpa's gone. You know what I mean?" Yugi asked. Anzu just smiled and nodded.

"See you later, Yugi. I have to get home quick and cook dinner," Anzu laughed and both waved goodbye. Yugi then opened the gate and proceeded up the stone steps to the door. As he opened it, he felt a chill in the room. He looked over at the living room and saw that the fire was out.

"That's strange. I kept this going when I left . . ." Yugi mumbled to himself. He saw some papers flying around the room and realized that the window was open, letting in a cool breeze. Yugi then walked down the main hallway, looking for an intruder. He could barely move out of fear, but knew that he had to. He looked down the back hallway, only to see moonlight and shadow. There seemed to be nothing wrong.

Suddenly, a hand came out from the shadows behind Yugi. It grabbed him by the shoulder, turning him around to face his prowler. Yugi gasped as the hand grabbed him. He almost let out a scream. But the intruder came out of the shadows quickly, revealing himself to Yugi. He had brown eyes and tan skin.

"Is it secret? Is it safe?" Mahado asked urgently. He looked exhausted, worn out from his fast traveled journey. Yugi nodded and ran into the living room. Mahado followed, and while Yugi went searching through an old chest in the corner, Mahado cast a spell that lit a quick fire in the fireplace. There was a noise outside as Yugi still searched, and Mahado turned around quickly. He was ready for any unknown danger that came their way.

"Ah, here it is!" Yugi pronounced, holding up the golden envelope. Mahado turned back around, snatched up the envelope, and threw it into the fire. He then watched it as the envelope burned to reveal the ring. "What are you doing?" Yugi didn't know why Mahado was trying to melt the ring. He was acting very skittish right now. Mahado grabbed some tongs by the fireplace and picked up the ring from the fire. He stared at it for a moment.

"Hold out your hand, Yugi," Yugi looked at Mahado as if he were crazy. The ring must have been burning hot. Seeing the look on Yugi's face, Mahado assured him, "It's actually quite cool." Yugi held out his hand and Mahado dropped the ring. Yugi pulled back his hand as if he expected it to be hot, but found that it wasn't. He then looked at it curiously, expecting some great thing to happen by the way that Mahado was acting. Mahado turned back around, starring at the fire. "What can you see?" Yugi moved the ring around in his fingers, searching for something. "Can you see anything?"

"Nothing . . ." Yugi saw out of the corner of his eye that Mahado had suddenly relaxed. "There's nothing," Yugi continued to look, though. Just in case. Suddenly,Yugi saw that the ring started to glow a mysterious red. ". . . Wait," Mahado froze. His heart started to beat faster as Yugi said it. His eyes were wide, waiting for Yugi's next words. Yugi looked closer and saw that markings had formed on the ring's surface. It looked like a language, but Yugi did not understand it. "There are markings. It's some form of Elfish. I can't read it." Mahado turned back to Yugi slowly, dread in his voice.

"There are few who can. The language is of that of Helmosore, which I will not utter here." Yugi's violet eyes widened. He could not believe what Mahado was saying.

"Helmosore . . . ?" Mahado nodded.

"In the common type, it says 'One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to kill them, and One Dragon to cover the earth in darkness.'"

* * *

Later that evening, Mahado and Yugi sat in the kitchen in silence. Both were in shock. Finally, Mahado broke the spell, knowing that he had to explain all to Yugi. 

"This is the One Ring, forged by the Dark Lord Bakura in the fires of Mt. Doom." Yugi poured them some tea while he listened. "It was taken by Isildur by the hand of Bakura himself." Yugi looked at Mahado in even more shock as he sat down across from him.

"Grandpa found it . . . In Gollum's cave." Yugi said as he remembered Sugoroku telling him the story.

"Yes, Yugi. It is unfortunate enough that Sugoroku, out of all others in the world, found it," Mahado replied. "Sixty years, the Ring was very quiet in Sugoroku's keeping. It prolonged his life, to marry at old age . . . But no longer, Yugi," Yugi widened his eyes. "Evil is stirring in Helmosore. The Ring has awakened. It's heard its Master's call."

"But he was destroyed! Bakura was destroyed!" Yugi protested, trying to find knowledge in the conversation. He was very confused at the moment. Mahado was about to reply when both of them heard a faint whisper in their ears. Both looked at the ring. Then they slowly looked back at one another.

"No, Yugi. The spirit of Bakura endured," Mahado's face showed no emotion as he said these words, "His life force is bound to the Ring, and the Ring survived. Bakura has returned," Yugi's eyes couldn't get anymore wider. "His Seledrills have multiplied, His fortress of Balador has moved to the land of Helmosore. Bakura needs only this ring to cover all of the lands in a second darkness. . . . He's seeking it, seeking it always. All of his thought is bent on it. The Ring has almost returned to the hands of its Master. They are One. The Ring and the Dark Lord. Yugi, he must never find it!" Mahado was basically pleading Yugi now. It looked like he had more to say. "Do you want to know why this ring is so powerful?" Yugi nodded. "Long ago, many races were given rings that contained powerful Kas."

"Kas?" Yugi asked.

"A Ka is a life force that lives within you. When needed, you can release it and it will take the form of your heart. The form is a creature and it can vary from an insect to a beast. The rings all included the power necessary to summon powerful, and I do mean _powerful_, Kas. The Dark Lord Bakura decided to make one, too, and with that he made this ring," He gestured to the Ring.

"What is the Ka?" Yugi whispered.

"A monstrous creature. Bakura poured all of his evil into this ring, which created the force to summon his Ka. You see, Yugi, the rings were used to _provide_ the power to the holders. Bakura used the ring to _store _his power. It was too great for him to handle, so he needed an object that could. Don't you see? This ring holds the power to destroying the world," Mahado sighed, "The Ka is a dragon. Not just any dragon, but the most powerful dragon that has ever been known. It is the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon."

At this, Yugi knew that the Ring was far greater danger than he thought. "Alright," He picked up the Ring and ran into the living room. Mahado followed. "We'll put it away. We'll keep it hidden and never speak of it again. No one knows it's here, do they?" When Yugi got no answer, he turned back to Mahado, "Do they, Mahado?" Mahado nodded gravely.

"There is one other who knew that Sugoroku had the Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature, Gollum, but the enemy found him first. I don't know how long they tortured him. In the midst of the angus screams and the babble, they deciphered two words: _Shire_ and _Mutou_."

"Shire . . . Mutou . . . But that would lead them here!" Yugi knew that this was too much for him, "Take it, Mahado!" He held out the Ring to Mahado, who stepped back, "Take it!"

"Yugi, no."

"You must take it!"

"You can not offer me this ring!"

"I'm giving it to you!"

"DON'T TOUCH ME, YUGI!" Yugi backed away by Mahado's fierceness. He lowered his hand. "I dare not take it. . . . Not even to keep it safe." Mahado had a cautious look in his eyes. ". . . Understand, Yugi . . . I would use this ring for the desire to do good," He looked at the Ring and then Yugi, ". . . . . But through me, it would wield a power to great and terrible to imagine."

"B-But it can not stay in the Shire!"

"No, it can't," Mahado looked at Yugi expectantly. Yugi then suddenly seemed to realize what Mahado was getting at. His hand tightened on the ring, and his eyes flashed determinately.

"What must I do?" Mahado smiled weakly.

"You must leave immediately, Yugi. Take no prized possessions. Only take what you need," Mahado told Yugi quickly as they ran through the house, gathering travel objects. Yugi ran to the bedroom and started pulling out clothes from the dresser.

As he packed, Yugi asked, "Where? Where do I go?" Mahado was helping him pack.

"Get out of the Shire. Pack quicker!" Mahado ordered anxiously. Yugi then jogged around the house, Mahado following.

"What about you?"

"I'll be waiting for you at the Inn of the Prancing Pony." Yugi packed some apples.

"And the Ring will be safe there?" Mahado shook his head.

"I don't know, Yugi. I don't have any answers." Yugi packed some bread. "I must see the Head of my Order. He is both wise and powerful. Trust me, Yugi. He'll know what to do." Yugi closed his backpack and went to the main hall to grab his brown jacket. Mahado followed. "You'll have to leave the name of Mutou behind you. That name is not safe outside the Shire." Yugi put on his backpack and put on a green scarf in the living room. Mahado was still giving him advice. "Travel only by day, and stay off of the road," Mahado handed him a travel walking stick.

"I can cut across countries, Mahado," He put the Ring in his side pocket. He was now ready for the journey. Mahado looked at him admiringly.

"Yugi, hobbits really are amazing creatures. You can learn all that there is to know about them, and they still surprise you." But suddenly, there was a noise outside of the open window. Both looked at it, startled. "Get down," Mahado whispered. Yugi dropped to the floor while Mahado picked up his staff and walked toward the window. Mahado looked out and saw a young, brown-haired, female hobbit in the yard. She saw Mahado peak out and blushed.

"Uh . . . hello, Mr. Mahado. I was just . . . uh . . ." Yugi recognized the voice and stood up again. There, out the window in Yugi's front yard, was Anzu.

"Anzu? What are you doing here?" Yugi asked curiously while Mahado just stepped back with his hand on his forehead. Yugi ran to the door and let Anzu in. When they were all in the living room, Anzu saw that Yugi was dressed for travel.

"Going somewhere, Yugi?" Anzu asked. Yugi was about to reply when Mahado interrupted.

"Anzu, is it? Why are you here in the first place?"

Anzu blushed a bit but answered quietly, "Well, I was just walking by when I heard raised voices. I didn't want to disturb you, so I thought I'd just hear what was said." Her face was red by now, embarrassed.

"What have you heard?"

"Nothing much, Mr. Mahado. That is, I heard a great deal about a ring, a Dark Lord, and something about the end of the world, but nothing else . . ." By now, Yugi and Mahado had their hands hanging on their sides, knowing that Anzu had no idea what that meant. But their secret was out, so Mahado knew that there was only one option. He just smiled and looked at Yugi. Yugi looked back at him pleadingly and Mahado decided.

"Miss Anzu, I have a proposal to make . . ."

* * *

The sun had almost risen as Mahado, Yugi, Anzu, and Mahado's horse walked across the open fields of the Shire. Anzu was trailing behind a bit. "Anzu Mazaki, keep up," Mahado called back. 

About daybreak, they were walking through the Kalifore forest. Mahado was warning Yugi and Anzu about the dangers that lay ahead and the advice to keep safe. "Be careful, the enemy has many spies in his service, in the woods, beasts," Mahado stopped walking and the others joined him. Mahado turned around to face them and looked at Yugi sadly. It was a terrible thing to give Yugi such a heavy burden. "Is it safe?" Mahado checked. Yugi looked up at him and put his hand on his side pocket. He then nodded. Mahado kneeled down to Yugi's and Anzu's height. "Never put it on. The agents of the Dark Lord will be drawn to its power. You must remember, Yugi, the Ring is trying to get back to its master. It wants to be found." Yugi nodded understandingly. Mahado nodded back, stood up, and jumped onto his horse. He gave one last long look at Yugi and Anzu, then turned away to the unknown. He ran his horse at full speed through the trees, and out of sight.

Yugi heard bird chirping around him and he looked for them fearfully. Anzu was confused by this and walked up to Yugi's side. She was dressed in a pink traveling shirt and pants, the same green scarf around her neck. She looked into his face and Yugi looked back. They smiled and Yugi nodded. He turned the opposite direction that Mahado had just left in and started walking. They traveled in the Shire for a day and a half, crossing hills and forests. When they were just walking into a farm field, Anzu abruptly stopped. Yugi looked back at her wonderingly. She sighed.

"This is it, Yugi."

"This is what?"

Anzu sighed again and answered, "If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been." Yugi smiled at her, understanding her longing to stay in the Shire. But he knew that they had to go on. He walked back to her.

"Come on, Anzu. I know how you feel, but we must go on." Those words alone were enough for Anzu to take another step and leave the Shire. They walked through the farming patch together. Yugi thought she still needed some cheering up. "Remember what Grandpa used to say? 'It's a dangerous business, Yugi, going out your door. You step out on the road, and if you don't kick your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.'"

Little did they know that the hooded riders had just entered the fields of the Shire.

**End. Yes, I know that this was a _long_, and I really do mean _LONG_, chapter, but that was the scene, so that was the chapter. I'm even going to make this end note short, just to help. Keep reading to see Mahado meet the King of Atlantis in Chapter 10! R&R, but please no flames?**


	9. The Head of the Order: Dartz

**Author's Note:** Sorry that the last chapter was really long. There was a lot of stuff to explain. Thanks to Isis the Sphinx, keevers, and cheeky-eyesfor your comments. Also, I am sorry if there was any confusion in my end note last chapter. Dartz is Saruman, so that's why I said King of Atlantis. Here's Chapter 10. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 10: The Head Of The Order: Dartz

Mahado rode his horse swiftly. Unlike the last journey to Gondor, he did not rest this time, knowing what Yugi possessed. He had to see the Head of his Order immediately. Mahado rode past many mountains and fields, but made it to his destination in a day. As he galloped over a field surrounded by mountains, a very tall, black tower became visible. It raised about seventeen floors above the ground. Mahado sighed in relief at the sight.

He traveled through the forest that surrounded the tower quickly. When he arrived at the stairs that led to the front doors, he saw a figure in white standing on them. It was a man about 5' 11". His hair was a light green color that went all the way down to his knees. His bangs looked a little like Yugi's. He wore a white robe outlined in purple that had a strange symbol on it. His boots where purple, as well. He held a white staff with a diamond on top in his hand. He looked very wise, yet very young.

As Mahado slowed his horse down in front of the stairs, the man walked down to him. Mahado jumped off of his horse and bowed down to the man respectfully. When the man stopped in front of Mahado, he spoke in a clear, distinguished voice. "Smoke rises from the mountain of doom, the hour grows late, and Mahado, the Egyptian High Priest, rides to Isengard, seeking my council," He gave a soft chuckle, "For that is why you have come, is it not, my old friend?" Mahado bowed even lower.

"Master Dartz . . ." Dartz put his hand on Mahado's shoulder. Mahado stood up, and they both looked into each other's eyes. Mahado gasped. Dartz's eyes were different. While one was canary yellow, the other was aquamarine blue. "You have changed, my friend."

"Certain things must be done in order to keep the peace," Dartz replied. "Hmm . . . come walk with me in my garden. We shall talk about what ever is troubling your mind." They then proceeded to the garden, letting Mahado's horse wander around wherever.

When Mahado had explained everything, Dartz asked, "You are sure of this?"

Mahado nodded. "Beyond any doubt."

". . . So the Ring of Power has been found," Dartz looked at the sky thoughtfully. Mahado could not tell his emotions.

"All these long years, it has been in the Shire. Under my very nose, as a matter of fact."

"But you did not have the wits to see it, Mahado," Mahado chuckled at this. Dartz's expression changed to seriousness, "Your love of the half-links has clearly slowed your mind."

Mahado gave a look of sorry to Dartz, but stood his ground, "But there may still be time . . . Time enough to counter Bakura if we act quickly." Dartz stopped walking and looked at Mahado.

"Time? . . . What time do you think we have?"

* * *

Later in the evening, Dartz and Mahado sat in Dartz's study in the tower. They were discussing tactics for a counter measure, while also studying the Ring's past. The walls, like everything else in the tower, were black. Windows that were cloudy, not clear, let in little light, so fire torches were lit. Books lay everywhere. In two chairs, Mahado and Dartz sat arguing and debating. 

"Bakura is regaining much of his former strength. He can not yet take physical form, but his spirit has lost none of its strength. Concealed within his fortress, the Lord of Helmosore sees all," Dartz explained, "His gaze pierces cloud, shadow, earth, and flesh." Mahado looked down at the floor, thinking. Then he looked back up at Dartz as he continued, "You know of what I speak, Mahado," Mahado's eyes flashed in fear, ". . . A great eye, lidless, wreathed in flame."

Mahado nodded gravely. "The Eye of Sorrow."

Dartz continued on, "He is gathering all evil to him. Soon, he will summon an army great enough to launch an assault on Middle Earth."

Mahado narrowed his eyes. "How do you know this?"

Dartz hesitated for a moment, and then smirked; "I have seen it . . ." Mahado widened his eyes. Dartz got up and proceeded out of the study. Mahado followed him down the black hall into the main circular room. On the other side, a throne-like black chair was in place. In the middle of the room, a table stood with a sheet of cloth covering something. Mahado immediately knew what it was.

"An Orichalcum is a dangerous tool, Dartz. You should not use it." Dartz looked over his shoulder as they both went to the table.

"Why? Why should _we_ fear to use it?" Dartz then removed the cloth and revealed what was underneath. It was almost like a necklace with a pendant, but it wasn't. The "pendant" was a circular stone that was the color of aquamarine. It hand a star-shaped engraving on it.

"They are no all accounted for, the lost Orichalcos stones," Mahado looked at Dartz in shock. This was why Dartz's eye was the same color as the Orichalcum. "We do not know who else may be watching." He then covered the necklace again with the cloth. As soon as he covered it, he saw a glimpse of the eye covered in flame, just like when he had tried to touch the Ring. He took his hand back quickly. Dartz walked over to the black chair.

"The hour is later than you think. Bakura's forces are already moving," He sat down; "The Nine have left Minasmorith." Mahado widened his eyes.

"The Nine . . . ?" Mahado gasped.

"They crossed the river, Isin, on mid-summer's eve. They are disguised as riders in black."

"They've reached the Shire?" Mahado whispered. His heart was racing.

"They will find the Ring, and kill the one who carries it," Dartz gave a smirk.

"Yugi . . ." Mahado turned around swiftly, heading for the door across from him. As he walked, the doors closed on their own, blocking his escape. Mahado turned back around to face Dartz. He was still smirking. Mahado walked to the doors next to Dartz. Dartz moved his eyes toward the doors, and they closed, too. Mahado turned to his left to head out those doors, but Dartz looked at them and they closed. Mahado turned to his left again, but those doors closed. There was no escaping now. Behind him, Mahado heard Dartz speak.

"You do not seriously think that a hobbit could contend with the will of Bakura?" Mahado's eyes widened in dreaded realization. Dartz had turned evil. "There are none who can." Mahado slowly turned to Dartz, only to see him smirking as wide as ever. "Against the power of Helmosore, there can be no victory. . . . We must join with him, Mahado. We must join with Bakura," Mahado took a step toward Dartz, not believing what he was hearing. "It would be wise, my friend."

Mahado nodded. "Tell me, _friend_, when did Dartz the Wise abandon reason for madness?" Mahado was burning with anger by now. He had gone too far, though. Dartz suddenly stood up and threw out his staff at Mahado. An invisible force pushed Mahado back, and he hit the wall behind him with his back. He cried out in pain. Dartz was keeping pushed against the wall. His feet were not touching the ground. Dartz proceeded closer, his staff aimed at Mahado. Then Dartz pulled his staff back, letting Mahado fall to the ground hard. Mahado struck back by thrusting his staff in Dartz's direction. Dartz was then hit by an invisible force. He hit the floor on his back. Dartz regained his strength in a second and threw Mahado on his back as he was trying to stand up. They continued to hit each other with their spells. Each was getting weaker with every bit of magic they used, but neither would give up the fight. Mahado then summoned all of his strength to push Dartz back. The blow hit him hard, throwing Dartz against a door, opening it. Dartz landed on his back in the hall outside of the room. That had taken most of Mahado's strength up, making Mahado kneel down on the floor in exhaustion. As he let his guard down, Dartz took the opportunity to force Mahado's staff out of his hands. Dartz caught it, giving him two staffs. All Mahado could do was stare helplessly at Dartz. Without his staff, there was little he could do. Dartz used both of the staff's magic to push Mahado back. Mahado landed flat on his back on the floor. Dartz walked toward him, both staffs pointed outward. He used both of their magic again and spun Mahado around by the heal in circles. Mahado's head was on the ground while his legs were tilted in the air.

"I gave you the chance of it. Hating me willingly? But you had to take the way of PAIN!" While spinning, Dartz threw Mahado up towards the top of the tower. He would hit the roof soon. Mahado screamed as he braced himself for the blow.

**End. Yay! Fighting scene! I enjoyed doing that! Though I couldn't explain every single move they made, I hope I made it clear enough. Wasn't this a much nicer, shorter chapter? I hope it was. R&R, but please no flames?**


	10. The Nine Follow

**Author's Note:** I just came home from the movie theater. I went to see Superman, which was an excellent movie. I would recommend seeing it for all of you people who are into that kind of stuff. The end is really surprising, and you'll be hanging on your seat until the end. But, I'm not a commercial, so let's get on with it. Now Mahado knows that Dartz is evil. But what about Yugi and Anzu? Read to find out! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 11: The Nine Follow

Miles of corn fields and other crops grew on the east side of the Shire. In the corn field, a trail led through it. Anzu walked along the trail mindlessly, not paying attention to her surroundings. When her mind returned, she looked around. Anzu stopped walking; she looked all around for her friend, but there was no sign of him. She started to panic, afraid that she had lost him. She started to walk fast along the trail, looking for Yugi.

"Yugi?" Anzu called, practically running now, "Yugi? Yugi!" She heard footsteps as she called out his name, and then saw Yugi running back to her. He had a worried look on his face, as if expecting some great beast to be attacking Anzu. When he saw that there was nothing, he relaxed his muscles. Anzu sighed in relief. "I thought I'd lost you, Yugi." Yugi looked at her quizzically.

"What are you talking about?" Anzu started to walk toward Yugi.

"It's just something Mahado said."

"What did he say?" Yugi asked exasperatedly.

Anzu hesitated for a moment, "'Don't you loose him, Anzu Mazaki.' And I don't mean to." Yugi smiled.

"Anzu, we're still in the Shire. What could possibly happen?" Yugi asked in a matter-of-fact tone. Almost as soon as he said it, two figures jumped out of the corn crops and bumped into them. All four of them fell to the floor. Yugi caught a glimpse of brown hair as he recovered from the fall. He looked at his "attacker" and he looked back.

"Yugi!" It was Hiroto Honda. Yugi looked confusedly at Hiroto, then looked over at Anzu and saw that Otogi Ryuchi was on top of her. Hiroto helped Yugi stand on his feat. "Otogi, look! It's Yugi Mutou!" Otogi looked over at Yugi while Anzu pushed him off of her, saying "Get off of me, you creep!"

"Hello, Yugi," Otogi merrily said to Yugi. Anzu walked over to Yugi.

"Yugi, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fi -" Yugi had just noticed that a pile of vegetables were on the ground. Otogi and Hiroto bent down to gather them. "What's the meaning of this?" Otogi put a handful of crops into Anzu's arms.

"Hold these," Otogi commanded. He then bent down to grab another handful of crops. Hiroto did the same. Anzu realized what had happened.

"You've been into Farmer Maggot's crop!" She accused. The barking of a dog was then heard, and it was close by. They all looked into the direction of the barking and saw a scythe coming in their direction. They heard some cursing from an old man, too. Hiroto grabbed Yugi's arm and they both ran off into the corn crops. Otogi followed. Anzu started to run, but turned around to look at the scythe again. It was moments away from her. Then she looked down at her arms and saw all of the stolen crops in her arms. She shrieked, dropped the crops, and followed the others.

"I don't know why he's so upset!" Otogi panted as they ran through the crops. "It's only a couple of carrots!"

"And some cabbages," Hiroto corrected him, "And those three bags of potatoes that we stole last week. And then the mushrooms, the week before!"

"Yes, Hiroto. My point is he's clearly overreacting!" They ran out of the crop fields only to find a steep cliff right outside of it. Hiroto stopped, seeing it, but Otogi, then Yugi, and then Anzu all piled into him and they fell over. It seemed like forever that they were tumbling, turning, and rolling down the hillside where a forest grew. It took all of their abilities of reflex to not run into a tree trunk. Finally, though, they landed on a dirt road, making them pile up on one another. Anzu and Hiroto were on the bottom, while Yugi and Otogi were on top. Anzu spit out some grass from her mouth and hurriedly climbed out from underneath the boys. Hiroto looked up from where he lay and saw a pile of dung in front of him.

"Oh, that was close," he said casually. Otogi groaned, sitting up.

"I think I've broken something . . ." He then reached underneath him and pulled out a carrot broken in two. Anzu, on the other hand, was ranting on and on about Hiroto and Otogi.

"Trust a Ryuchi and a Honda! Hmpf! I should have know better!" Otogi seem offended.

"What? It was just a . . . uh . . . detour! Yeah, a detour! A shortcut." Anzu glared at him.

"A shortcut to _what_ I might ask?" Hiroto, still on the ground, saw something in the distance.

"Mushrooms!" Otogi and Hiroto automatically got up and rushed over to the mushrooms. Anzu followed them, but complained about how naive they were.

Yugi stood up and walked into the middle of the road, feeling something weird inside. He heard a whispering inside his head, but he could not distinguish what it was saying. He stared up and down the road, looking for the thing whispering. He walked a little apart from the others, still looking up and down the road. Yugi made up his mind and looked at the others. Otogi and Hiroto were packing the mushrooms inside a bag and Anzu was glaring at them.

"I think we should get off of the road, guys," Yugi warned them. None of them had heard him, though. Yugi looked back at the road, the whispers coming back. Then those whispers turned into a strange screaming. It sounded like fingernails scratching a chalkboard. Yugi twitched at the noise. A faint wind blew toward them, the leaves on the road flying up in the air. Yugi's face turned into fear. "Get off of the road . . . QUICK!" All of the others looked at Yugi, and then followed his orders. Right off of the road, a tree's roots formed a hollow. All of them bunched up together, tucking in their feet. Black crows had started to come, crowing all around. Also, a thick fog appeared out of no where, making it hard to see their feet. No one took this into account but Yugi. As they got into the hollow, Hiroto and Otogi continued to talk about the mushrooms. Anzu just looked at Yugi and saw that he was shaking and covered in sweat. Then she heard hoof beats. She immediately ordered Hiroto and Otogi to stop talking. The hoof beats got louder, and soon there was the noise of a horse right above them on the road.

All was quiet.

Yugi looked through a gap in the roots of the tree to see black hoofs with dried blood on them. The horse gave a loud grunt. Then, Yugi saw two metal boots drop to the ground. Yugi immediately looked away. The rider walked toward their hiding spot, then dropped to the ground. His head was just above the root hollow. His metal-covered hand was the only thing seen by the hobbits. They could hear the rider making a sniffing sound.

While this was going on, thousands of insects crawled out from their resting places. Anzu almost shrieked in terror. She curled quietly into a ball, ignoring all that was going on around her.

The sound that the rider was making caused Yugi to go into a trance. He closed his eyes, sweat accumulating on his face. Oxygen was getting thinner, and he could not find himself to breathe. He involuntarily moved his hand to his pocket and pulled out the Ring. He moved it in his fingers, while his other hand's finger moved toward it to put it on. As he revealed it, the rider stopped making the sound. The horse gave a loud grunt. It was as if both could sense the Ring's presence. Yugi's finger moved closer and closer to the Ring. Just when it was about to touch him, Anzu awakened from her protective ball. She looked at Yugi, and then at his finger. She quickly moved her hand to his, pulling it away from the Ring. At her touch, Yugi woke from his trance with a gasp and put the ring in his pocket again. The gasp was heard by the rider, but Otogi quickly distracted him. He threw the bag of mushrooms in a direction away from them. The bag landed with a "thud", making the rider run away in the same direction. As it moved, it gave off a high shrieking sound. The hobbits took their chance and ran for it. Yugi stayed where he was. Anzu stopped running, saw Yugi behind her in the same place, and ran back. She grabbed his hand and they both ran away. When they were far away from the mysterious rider, they all fell to the ground. Otogi was the first to ask the dreaded question.

"What was that?" Yugi was still standing, staring at the ground with wide eyes. He was in shock. Anzu walked over to his side. All Yugi did was open his hand. On his palm, the Ring sat.

**I enjoyed that chapter. The first part was supposed to be funny, with Otogi and Hiroto joining the group, but the second reminded all of them of the danger that they were in. I can't wait until we get to the "Prancing Pony", but that's a little farther away. Oh well. R&R, but please no flames.**


	11. Chased by a Rider

**Author's Note:** (Screaming Loudly) I'm SO HAPPY right now! I just found out that they will be showing Yu-Gi-Oh! replays this weekend! I heard that they were done with Yu-Gi-Oh! and wouldn't show any more episodes. I don't care if their dubbed right now, all I care about is to see that show once again! Ah, the sweet moments of life . . . Anyway, I didn't thank anyone for the comments last chapter, so I'd like to do that now: keevers and cheeky-eyes, thank-you for your comments in Chapter 10. And now with the story, Chapter 12 is up. Enjoy! 

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 12: Chased By A Rider

It was late at night in the forest as fog started to gather, the moonlight reflecting on it. As it gathered, black horses with hooded riders ran through the forest, calling out to one another with their cries. The shrieking went on for minutes. All of the riders then suddenly turned in one direction, riding their horses through the forest at full speed. They had sensed something in the east, something calling to them.

* * *

Yugi, Anzu, Otogi, and Hiroto ran through the dark forest quietly. They were all on edge, scared of what might come out in the open any minute. As they ran, they each paused behind a tree to make sure that the path was clear, and then moved ahead. In the distance, they all heard a strange, ear splitting, shrieking sound. They stopped and listened for a moment and then looked at each other. The noise wasn't very far away from their location. 

Yugi managed a whisper, "Their close . . ."

Anzu nodded. "Let's keep going," She murmured. All nodded and moved on ahead very quietly. They paused at another tree, looked around, and moved forward again. By now, all of them had sweat on their faces. Yugi ran ahead to pause at a tree farther away. He gazed ahead at the woods and heard Anzu call to him, "Anything?" Yugi turned back around.

"Nothing," He replied. Hiroto came right behind Yugi.

"What is going on?" He complained. Otogi looked at Yugi and then at Anzu. He walked up next to Hiroto.

"That black rider was looking for something," Otogi observed in an accusing way, "Or someone." Yugi turned around to see if the woods were still secure. Otogi walked up right next to him and stared into Yugi's face. Yugi slowly looked back. "Yugi?"

Hiroto was looking at something ahead of both of them when the wind picked up. "Get down!" He quietly called. All four of them immediately dropped to the ground behind some bushes. Peering over them, they saw between the gaps of two trees a black rider. The moon was right behind him, making him look like a shadow. The horse stopped for a moment, and then turned in the opposite direction. As it headed down the hill, Yugi decided to answer Otogi's question.

"I have to leave the Shire," He said sadly, "Anzu and I must get to Bree." Otogi nodded.

"Right," He paused to think, "Bucklebury Ferry! Follow me!" He then ran off and the others followed. They stayed low while running, keeping alert for any danger. As they ran into an open clearing, a black rider jumped out from the shadows of the trees. Its shrieks filled the entire forest. The hobbits all screamed in shock. The horse reared into the air, trying to stomp on the half-lings.

"Run!" Hiroto called while Anzu cried, "Yugi!" Yugi dodged a hoof, and then ran to Anzu's side. Otogi took action.

"This way! Follow me!" He started to run again and the others followed. The black rider was right behind them. It gave out another shriek, making all of the hobbits cover their ears. The hobbits arrived at a wooden fence. They had lost the rider for a moment, but he soon jumped out of the trees in pursuit. The hobbits jumped the fence and continued to run. When the rider reached it, the horse jumped over it easily, landing right behind Yugi. Yugi picked up his pace as best he could and got a little ahead. Right in front of them, a dock that led to a wooden raft appeared in sight. Anzu, Otogi, and Hiroto jumped onto it.

"Untie the ropes!" Otogi ordered as he picked up a paddle. Anzu and Hiroto quickly untied the ropes holding the raft onto the dock. The raft became free and Otogi started to row forward. It was just then that they all realized that Yugi was not with them. Otogi looked back and saw Yugi running on the docks. The black rider was right behind him.

"Yugi!" Anzu called.

"Run, Yugi!" Hiroto yelled. Yugi was panting heavily now. The rider shrieked again. The raft was feet away from the docks. Otogi stopped rowing, hoping that Yugi would be able to catch it. When he got to the edge, he pushed off with all of his might. His push was enough, and he landed on the raft safely. Back on the dock, the rider stopped his horse right at the edge. The horse grunted angrily. The rider shrieked again. All of the hobbits looked at it fearfully. They realized that the rider could not follow them on water. The rider seemed to give one last long look before turning around and running off into the shadows. As it ran, others just like it followed. They all gave off another ear splitting scream before disappearing.

"How far to the nearest crossing?" Yugi panted. Otogi started rowing again.

"Bentake Bridge . . . twenty miles from here," He replied. Anzu helped Yugi get on his feet again. All four hobbits stared at the shadows where the black riders had left.

**Okay, that was a short one. I was kind of disappointed because I'm in a "writing mood" today. Oh well. Btw, I am sorry for any mistakes in spelling in this thing. I've realized that I'm misspelling a lot of words in Lord of the Rings. My movie does not want to do subtitles, so I'm kind of stuck. Just deal with it and move on. Some things I change on purpose, too. R&R, but please no flames?**


	12. The Prancing Pony

**Author's Note:** Thank-you for all of the reviews lately. Just want to thank cheeky-eyes and Isis the Sphinx. YAY! The "Prancing Pony"! I'll enjoy this. (Sighs) . . . But summer school starts tomorrow . . . I really don't want to go, but I brought this on myself. But by the time you probably read this, I'll have already gone. I'll have to upload the chapters later in the day, since school starts at 7:30. I have to get up at 6:00! No fair! Wish me luck! And for the story, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 13: The Prancing Pony

It was raining by the time the journeying hobbits reached the town of Bree. Outside of the town, a small forest with different varieties of trees grew. On the edge of this forest, four shadows moved along. The hobbits looked out at the wooden gate surrounding the town, then at the street passing by it. When they decided it was safe, Yugi nodded to the others.

"Come on," He waved his hand at them to follow as he ran across the road. All of their heads were hooded from the rain. When they all arrived, Yugi knocked on the door inserted in the gate. The peak-hole in the door opened, and an old man's face appeared. He looked out and didn't see anyone. Anyone at his height, that is.

"Down here," Hiroto told the man. The man closed the peak-hole and bent down to look out a lower one.

"What do you want?" He asked grumpily. He did not appreciate being disturbed from his nap.

"We're heading for the Prancing Pony," Yugi informed him. The man observed the group and then closed the peak-hole. A moment later, the door opened and the man came out with a lantern. The hobbits backed up a little bit.

"Hobbits? Four hobbits?" The man examined astonishingly. Otogi, who was behind the others, looked behind him cautiously. "What business brings you to Bree?"

"We wish to stay at the Inn. Our business is our own," Yugi replied anxiously. The old man nodded.

"All right, young fellow, I meant no offense. 'S my job to ask questions after nightfall." He then stepped aside to let the hobbits in. As they entered, the man continued to talk, "There's talk of strange folk abroad. Can't be too careful." He closed the door and went back to his station as the hobbits walked through the town.

It was difficult to get through it, with their size. Every road they crossed, someone with a carriage would almost run them over, donkeys and horses almost squished them, and no one seemed to acknowledge their presence. The hobbits walked all around town, searching for a sign that said "The Prancing Pony". At last, they saw the sign that had a horse rearing on its hind legs, and beneath it, the title. The hobbits quickly walked inside.

"The Prancing Pony" was a small Inn. In the middle of the room, a bar with many drunk men rested. Around it, tables and chairs were arranged so that people could enjoy their meals and drinks. On the far left, a fireplace was lit to keep the place warm. Right beside it, covering another table, a spiral stairway led up to the upstairs rooms.

The hobbits pulled off their hoods and observed the place. Yugi walked up to the bar, where the attendant sat, and cleared his throat.

"Excuse me?" Yugi asked. The attendant turned away from the bar and gave his attention to the four hobbits. At first sight, he looked pretty friendly.

"Good evening, little Masters. If you're seekin' accommodation, we've got some nice, cozy hobbit-sized rooms available, Mr . . . uh . . ." Yugi took this as his clue to give him his last name. He was about to say "Mutou" when he remembered Mahado telling him not to say that anymore. He quickly corrected himself.

"Underhill. My name's Underhill." The man nodded.

"Underhill . . ." He said thoughtfully.

"We're friends of Mahado, a High Priest of Egypt. Can you tell him we've arrived?" Yugi asked.

"Mahado?" The man paused for a moment, raking his brain for a memory of the name. Yugi's heart jumped at the man's pause. Suddenly, the man's eyes shined bright as he remembered Yugi's friend. "Oh yes! I remember! Nice fellow. Brown hair and eyes, covered in Egyptian gold, right?" Yugi smiled and nodded. The man's face then turned to confusion as he shook his head. "Not seen him for six months, I'm afraid." Yugi's face turned to shock, as did everyone else's. Yugi slowly turned back to his friends.

"What do we do now?" Anzu anxiously asked. Yugi sighed.

"We have to stay here. Let's wait and see if he shows up . . ." They signed up for a room, and then grabbed a table and ordered food and drinks. Yugi, Anzu, and Hiroto sat around the table, eating silently. Otogi was at the bar getting another drink. Anzu and Yugi held cups of juice in their hands, while Hiroto held a small cup of beer. Yugi then suddenly broke the silence.

"Anzu, he'll be here. He'll come." He reassured her. She nodded without giving a reply. Otogi dodged a couple of men that didn't notice him and were about to hit him, and then sat down next to Hiroto. In his hand was a much larger glass of beer. Hiroto looked at it in amazement.

"What's that?" He gasped.

"This, my friend, is a pint," Otogi replied before taking a huge sip out of the beer. Hiroto's eyes widened.

"It comes in pints?" He asked incredulously. Otogi grunted as he drank the beer. Hiroto then turned to Yugi and Anzu and said flatly, "I'm getting one." He then ran off to the bar without a second look back. Yugi seemed not to notice his departure, while Anzu rolled her eyes. Then Anzu looked into the corner and noticed something. She put her hand on Yugi's shoulder.

"That man hasn't looked away from you since we arrived," She said quietly. She nodded her head in the direction of the stairway. Yugi slowly followed Anzu's gaze to the table behind the staircase. He couldn't see the man's face. He was completely covered in shadow. All he could see was the reflection of the light on the man's eyes. As the attendant that greeted the hobbits walked by, Yugi stopped him.

"Excuse me?" The attendant stopped and bent down to Yugi's height. "That man in the corner . . ." The attendant nodded and looked at the corner table, "Who is he?" The attendant flinched, and then turned back to face Yugi.

"He's one o' them Rangers. Dangerous folk they are, wondering in the wild. His real name I've never heard, but here, he's known as Strider." The attendant then walked away to continue his duties. Yugi looked back at his food fearfully, afraid of what was chasing him this time.

". . . Strider . . ." Yugi looked back at the man. At that precise moment, the fire in the fireplace became brighter for a second, and Yugi caught the glare of cold blue eyes.

Yugi found his hand going to his chest pocket and pulling out the Ring. Underneath the table, he turned it in his fingers. As he touched it, he went into a trance. He closed his eyes, continuing to move the ring in his hands. He heard a faint whisper saying, "Mutou . . ." Then the whisper got louder, and the air around him started to become heavier, "Mutou . . ." The whispering continued to grow louder each time, "Mutou . . ." Soon it became a yell, yet a whisper, "MUTOU . . ."

"Mutou?" Someone said in real life. Yugi opened his eyes and looked around. His eyes fell on Hiroto at the bar. "Sure I know a Mutou!" Hiroto carelessly said. He turned around and pointed to the table Yugi was sitting at with his pint of beer, "He's over there! Yugi Mutou!" He then started to rant on about Yugi's identity as if he didn't care. Meanwhile, though, Yugi was panicking. "He's my second cousin, once removed on his mother's side, and my father . . ." On and on he went. Yugi stood up and tried to run to the bar to shut Hiroto up. He was bumped around by the men who could not see him. As he struggled to get through the crowd, the man in the corner sat up straight as he watched Yugi being thrashed in the crowd. Yugi finally reached Hiroto and pulled onto his arm.

"Hiroto!" He screamed. Hiroto did not expect the pull on his arm, and he dropped the beer on the floor, screaming, "Hey!" Yugi stepped on a man's foot behind him and lost his balance. Yugi fell backwards until he hit the floor. The collision made him open his hand, and the Ring flew into the air. The man in the corner suddenly stood up at the sight. The Ring gained all of its potential energy and started to fall back. As it fell, Yugi reached out his hand to catch it. All of the people in the bar had their attention on Yugi now. As it would turn out, Yugi did catch the Ring, but by it landing on his finger. As soon as the Ring touched his skin, Yugi disappeared entirely.

Everyone in the bar gasped and screamed at the sudden departure. They all continued to look in the same place that Yugi just was, but no one was there. Meanwhile, back at the hobbit's table, Anzu and Otogi looked at the place where Yugi had disappeared and then back at each other. Hiroto turned back to the bar in shock, afraid of what he had just seen.

* * *

The black riders suddenly felt a throbbing pain in their side. Shrieks mixed with grunts from their horses were heard for miles. The black riders all turned around sharply in one direction and ran their horses at full speed. Their destination was Bree.

* * *

Yugi didn't understand what was going on either. He looked up from the floor. He could still see everyone around him, but it looked like he was in a giant wind storm. Everything, even him, was blurry. It was as if wind was blowing 150 miles an hour. The wind roared in his ears as he looked around. He could see that people were scared of something, but he didn't know what. Yugi then heard someone talk to him, but he didn't know who. He turned around to find him, which he did. But it was too frightening to look at. The light from it was incredible. Yugi quickly covered his face from the sight and tried to back away on the floor. Before him was an eye covered in flame. It seemed to say "_I see you . . ._" Then it seemed to speak a foreign language. Yugi felt his skin start to burn. It hurt so badly. Yugi screamed in pain. He heard a menacing laugh in his ears as the flesh on his bones burned away. Yugi moved his left hand toward the finger with the Ring on it. With great effort, and with a loud cry, Yugi removed it. 

He suddenly came back to the world. As the pain went away, Yugi sighed in relief, panting. Just when he let his guard down, a hand grabbed him by his clothes, and a deep voice said, "Come with me." Yugi was dragged to the wall next to the stairs and faced his "kidnapper". It was a man _much_ taller than Yugi, about 6'1". He had dark brown hair, neatly combed, that went down to his neck. He wore a blue trench coat that strangely defied gravity about waist length. His collar was pushed up, as well. Under the coat, he had a black shirt on with dark blue pants. His shoes were brown. As Yugi looked into his blue eyes, he realized who it was: Strider.

"You draw far too much attention to yourself, Mr. _Underhill_," The man sarcastically said in that same deep voice. He then pushed Yugi up the stairs until they reached his Inn room. Strider pushed Yugi in hard, making him land on the floor awkwardly. Yugi stood up quickly to face the man.

"What do you want?" Yugi's voice shook. Strider closed the door and the faced him.

"A little more caution from you. That is no ordinary trinket you carry," He then started to move around the room and extinguish the lights. Yugi still wanted to keep the Ring a secret, even if it was obvious that he did have it.

"I carry nothing," He defiantly said.

"_Indeed_," Strider observed. Yugi was getting the feeling that this 'Strider' wasn't a friendly person. Strider went over to the windows where some candles were burning and put them out quickly with his fingers. "I can avoid being seen if I wish, but disappear entirely? Now that's something unnatural." Yugi was beginning to feel scared now.

"Who are you?" Yugi asked. He knew that Strider wasn't this man's real name, but he seemed to be hiding something else as well. Strider stared at Yugi for a moment.

"Are you frightened?" He sarcastically asked. Yugi looked down at the floor.

"Yes . . ."

"Not nearly frightened enough. I know what hunts you." He looked out the window for a moment, and then walked closer to Yugi. Just as he was about to speak again, the door to his room opened. Almost as quick as lightning, Strider drew out a hidden sword from under his trench coat. He thrust it through the air and pointed it at the attackers. It was Yugi's friends, Anzu, Hiroto, and Otogi. Otogi had come in with his fists up, Anzu came in with a candle stick, and Hiroto had an end table held up above his head.

"Let him go, or I'll have you beat to death!" Otogi threatened as he came in. When Strider saw who had come, he relaxed himself and lowered his sword. He put the weapon back into its sheath and glared at the hobbits, who were no a little higher than his knee.

"You don't seriously think you can hurt me with _those_ weapons, do you?" The hobbits had lowered their weapons a little in doubt, "You can no longer wait for the wizard, Yugi," Strider walked over to Yugi, "They're coming."

**I liked writing this chapter, though it was long. But now I have to go gather my stuff as I get ready for school. Back to the prison cell . . . R&R, but no flames please?**


	13. Escape from the Nazgûl

**Author's Note:** Argh. Summer school . . . The pain! Oh, well it wasn't so bad. I mean, I'm taking Communication Applications, so there's no math or anything. But it's my first day and already I had homework. It was nothing big, though. But for now, this story is keeping me holding on. Do you know that in the classroom I'm in, there's a bunch of Lord of the Rings movie posters in there? How ironic! Oh, and thank-you cheeky-eyes for your comment. It was very uplifting! Now for my fanfic, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 14: Escape From The Nazgûl

The old man at the front gate heard a grunt. It sounded like a horse. He curiously looked up from his pipe and out the door. While frowning, he stood up and walked over to the door in the wooden wall. He opened the peak hole and looked out. As soon as he saw what was outside the city walls, he gave a gasp of terror. But he barely had a chance to do much more, because as soon as the outsiders saw the man's face, they squished him flat. The black horse reared on its hind legs, and hit the gate with its powerful hoofs. The collision knocked down the gate, slamming the man to the floor and running him over.

In came four black riders, as stealthily as they could be, yet riding as fast as the horses could go. They rode through the town, fast as the wind. It was as if they knew where to go immediately, turning corners left and right and never going back. When they reached "The Prancing Pony", they stopped their horses and jumped off quickly. Pulling black swords from under their robes, the black riders pushed open the door and ran in. A thick fog followed them. As they entered, the men in the Inn hid themselves. They all gave silent prayers for help, sobs from being so scared, and all were breathing hard. After all, the black riders carried not only swords, but the power to make those around them scared and miserable.

The black riders walked up the stairs quietly, making no trace of their arrival. They all entered a room and walked in with their swords held up. In the room, four beds with lumps in them stood. The lumps were the people sleeping. Each of the riders walked to a bed. There was still no sign that the sleeping people were aware of their presence. The riders turned their swords so that the pointed tips were right above the people. Then, without a moment's warning, the riders all struck their victims with their swords simultaneously. Again and again they struck, each one becoming harder and harder against the bodies. The horses outside reared in anticipation. When about a minute had past, the riders stopped and removed the blankets that covered the corpses. Except, there were no corpses.

A sudden loud shrieking of nails scratching blackboards was heard all across town. The riders had not struck the four hobbits who carried the Ring, but lumps of pillows with many holes in them.

* * *

Across the Inn, in another hotel, a man sat in a window upstairs. He was observing the actions going on across the way, knowing what the treacherous creatures were. He smirked as he heard their cries of anger.

* * *

The black riders trashed the room in their frustration. Kicking over beds, furniture, and candles, they left no object in the room in one piece.

* * *

As the cries continued, all of hobbits woke up. They were all safe, sleeping in a large bed. Otogi woke up first, followed by Anzu. Otogi shook Hiroto, who was stirring. All three of them sat up quickly, still hearing the cries of the black riders. At the edge of the bed, Yugi sat silently. Yugi then looked up and saw Strider sitting in the window seat.

"What are they?" Yugi asked, breaking the silence. Strider looked at Yugi and the others as they cowered in the bed.

". . . They were once men. Great Kings of men. And then the Dark Lord Bakura gave to them nine rings of power. Blinded by their greed, they took them without question," He said this all in a bored expression, as if it were wasting his time, "One by one, they fell into darkness," Strider looked out the window again to see the black riders departing on their horses. ". . . Now they are slaves to his will. They are the Nazgûl," He said with disgust, "Ring wraiths. Neither living nor dead," All of the hobbits' eyes widened, "At all times, they feel the presence of the Ring, drawn to the power of the One Dragon," Strider looked back at Yugi and said with seriousness, "They will never stop hunting you."

"Remind me why we came along on this trip, Otogi?" Hiroto whispered shakily in Otogi's ear.

"Because our friend needs our help," He whispered back.

"What do we do now?" Yugi asked his friends. Then he heard movement behind him and saw Strider putting out the fire.

"We're leaving now," He informed them. He grabbed his shield hanging on the door hook and left. The hobbits all jumped out of the bed, grabbed their belongings quickly, and then ran out of the room, running hard to catch up with Strider.

* * *

Strider and the four hobbits had been traveling for days. They crossed many country sides, avoiding the roads. With him, Strider kept a small, white pony named Draconia.

But meanwhile, the Nazgûl followed hard on their trail.

As Strider and the hobbits journeyed, Yugi finally picked up the courage to talk to Strider in a friendly way.

"Where are you taking us?" He cheerfully asked.

"Into the wild," Strider mumbled. Yugi got the impression that Strider did not want to be friendly right now and left him alone. Otogi had caught the rude response, too, and walked at Yugi's pace.

As Strider walked a little ahead to make sure the forest was clear, Otogi asked, "How do we know that this 'Strider' is a friend of Mahado? We could be walking into a trap."

"We have no choice but to trust him, Otogi." Strider started walking again, meaning that he had spotted no danger.

"But where is he leading us?" Anzu asked from the back. Unfortunately, she did not keep her voice to a whisper, so Strider had heard. He turned his head halfway, continuing to walk, and replied, "Rivendell."

Anzu gasped. She excitedly said, "Did you hear that? Rivendell! We're going to see the elves!" She was practically jumping now. Hiroto and Otogi snickered at her excitement, but Yugi shared her feelings. He had always wanted to see Rivendell, just like Anzu. Plus, his grandfather might be there. "Oh, I can't wait to see the beautiful waterfalls, and the houses up there are supposed to be fantastic!" Anzu went on. She continued to talk, giving everyone a headache. Otogi, who was closest to Strider, heard him groan exasperatedly.

As they climbed higher in elevation, snow began to fall. Everyone had to put their cloaks over themselves. Days later, as they were still journeying, Strider paused at the top of a hill, trying to find the direction of travel. Then he heard a clattering behind him and he turned around to see what it was. Down on the bottom of the hill, the hobbits all sat over a newborn fire, putting food into a pot. While talking, acting like nothing was wrong, a sword suddenly swung out of nowhere, barely missing Otogi's nose. The sword hit the ground from its tip and stuck in the ground. All hobbits stopped conversation immediately, looking up at Strider, who was walking down the hill to them.

"Honestly! Do you want to get caught by the Nazgûl, or what?" He yelled. Now he was standing right in front of them. "We do not stop until nightfall."

"What about breakfast?" Hiroto asked. Strider gave a confused look.

"You've already had it," He corrected. Hiroto nodded.

"We've had one, yes. What about second breakfast?" Strider blinked twice, but chose not to answer, as if the comment was too bizarre for him. He walked over to the other side of the group, pulled his sword out from the ground, and then continued to walk. The hobbits watched him go until he disappeared behind the hill.

"I don't think he knows about second breakfast, Honda," Otogi bent down and started to gather up the supplies. Hiroto's face turned to astonishment. _Not know about second breakfast?_ Otogi put the cooking pans on his back and started to follow Strider. Hiroto followed him clumsily.

"What about Elevensies? Lunchin? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them, doesn't he?" Otogi stopped and looked at Hiroto.

"I wouldn't count on it," He told him, and then moved on. He took one step forward, but stopped as an apple flew out from behind some trees. Otogi caught it, handed it to Hiroto, and patted him on the back. Otogi walked on, just missing another apple flying out from nowhere. The apple hit Hiroto in the face, and he fell on the ground. Strider had good aim when he wasn't looking. Hiroto looked at the sky as if something were up there holding a basket of apples, but there wasn't one. Otogi looked back at the dumbfounded Hiroto and sighed.

"Honda!" He called annoyingly.

**Lol. I really like that part at the end. I thought it kind of fit with Hiroto's character that he ate all of the time. Too bad Jonouchi's not there to enjoy it with him. Hope you enjoyed! Now back to school . . . R&R, but no flames please?**


	14. The Ally of Bakura

**Author's Note:** For me, this isn't an exciting chapter, but it has to be done. Oh, well. School sucks. That's all I've got to say there. A thanks to cheeky-eyes and Isis the Sphinx or your comments. Not much else to say, except that school sucks. If only the time could go faster! Well, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 15: The Ally of Bakura

In the tower of Isengard, evil was stirring. Black clouds formed over the black tower. The trees surrounding the tower rustled in the powerful wind now blowing in every direction. The gates protecting the tower from any danger opened, and four strange creatures entered. The creatures walked through the forest until they reached the doors of the tower.

Inside, Dartz walked down the halls of his tower. As he walked, his white staff "clunked" on the floor. His eyes revealed that he was in deep thought, focusing on the task that was at hand. He opened the doors in front of him and walked into the circular room. He stopped in front of the small table in the middle of the room and removed the black cloth covering the aquamarine stone. Immediately, the stone began to faintly glow. Dartz picked up the necklace and put it around his head, carefully resting it on his chest.

"_Great deities of darkness, show me your will_," Dartz chanted, "_For I am your servant whom you control!_" His eyes then both turned aquamarine blue, revealing that he had just sacrificed all that was good within him to the darkness. The Orichalcum glowed all the more fiercely at these words. Dartz chuckled and then continued, "Now, let me join with the Dark Lord so that we may become one and share thoughts!" At these words, an aquamarine symbol surrounded Dartz on the floor. As the evil in him grew by the second, the seal grew in size. Soon, the circular symbol was lit up on the entire surface of the floor. The outer ring had symbols that represented a lost language. The inside had the same diamond star connecting with the edges of the circle.

"The Seal of Orichalcos has arrived!" Dartz laughed hysterically as the Seal took form. Then the same seal, only smaller, appeared on the forehead of Dartz. He had truly become evil.

"The power of Isengard is at your command, Bakura, Lord of the Earth!" Inside Dartz's head, he heard a whisper. Soon, in front of his eyes, the flaming Eye of Sorrow burned. The whisper grew louder. It was the language of Helmosore, Dartz realized. Then he heard the voice of Bakura in his head.

"_Build me an army worthy of Helmosore . . ._" Then the Seal and the Eye vanished in an instant, leaving Dartz on his knees, gasping for air. Bakura had given him pain as his departure, not welcome and praise. Dartz didn't understand why, when he'd done so much for the Dark Lord. He knew what he had to do to fulfill Bakura's bidding, but it hurt him to do so. He caught his breath, stood up, and went to the study. He sat in his chair for hours, contemplating what must be done in order to build a powerful army. Then he heard a knock on his door. In walked four Selendrills, their slimy skin gleaming in the light. Their scales, pointy and sharp, were olive green, as were their skin. Their eyes, a revolting red, glowed at all times. They looked just like a miniature dragon, standing on its hind legs, with a pointy snout with teeth and a tail. They had wings, too, though they were not powerful enough to lift the enormous weight of the creatures. They all had black armor covering their chest, shoulders, upper legs, and feet. They were quite scary.

"What orders from Helmosore, My Lord? What does the eye command?" Dartz looked up from the floor and narrowed his eyes.

"We have work to do . . ." Dartz replied. The Selendrills nodded, understanding immediately. The four walked out, leaving Dartz to plan in his study. The Selendrills walked to the gate outside and opened it. A small army of Selendrills walked in to start working. As they entered, the creatures grunted, snorted, growled, and barked strange noises. Dartz, by now, was waiting for them on the steps of his tower. The Selendrills ordered up row by row to await Dartz's commands. When all was still at last, Dartz spoke.

"The Eye commands for us to build an army. I, for one, am honored to be taken account on such a noble task. We will get to work immediately. To start, we must pull down all of the trees here," He moved his hand as a gesture to the trees, "Then we will dig up the ground. The caverns will go miles deep, giving us heat to make the tools necessary. I will participate in the birth of more Selendrills, to increase the numbers of the army. Take this as serious as you can, on pain of death. . . . Well, what are you waiting for? Get to work!" He waved his hand to push the Selendrills back with his magic. The Selendrills quickly got to work, lighting torches to give off light. All around, Selendrills pulled and chopped the trees down to the ground. Once they did that, they burned them. As the work continued, Dartz walked around, inspecting it. His assistant, a tall Selendrill, informed him of the progresses and problems.

* * *

As the trees fell and burned, the sound carried for miles. At the top of the tower, on the roof, a man lay unconscious. He wore tan robes, and gold covered him. But the sound of the trees collapsing awakened Mahado. He lifted his head in anxiousness. His robes were all torn, and he was sore all over. Dried blood was on his face and hands. Slowly, he stood up. The pain in his body increased as he stood. Mahado groaned, remembering what had happened to get him up on the roof. Dartz. 

Mahado looked over the edge of the tower roof and saw trees all over falling down. He heard the rough growls of Selendrills, too. Mahado was shocked at what he was seeing. Did Dartz really think he could get away with cutting down an entire forest and get away with it? It outraged Mahado to see Dartz's cruelty, but at the same time, he couldn't help but wonder what Dartz was doing. '_What is he planning now?_' Mahado thought.

A gentle rain began to fall, cleaning Mahado's skin of the dried blood.

* * *

"The trees are strong, My Lord. Their roots go deep," Dartz's assistant Selendrill informed him. 

"Rip them all down," Dartz growled. He chuckled as more and more trees fell to his feet. He was indeed fulfilling Bakura's will.

* * *

Soon, Mahado couldn't stand the sight. He backed up to lean on one of the tower's pillars and lied on the roof floor. He was getting cold now, with the rain and all, but was happy that he was still alive. He had one more chance to save Middle-Earth. 

**I hope that turned out all right. I just wasn't in to this one, which makes me write poorly. Sorry if it's a bad chapter. R&R, but no flames please?**


	15. Fight and Injury

**Author's Note:** I've been a bit preoccupied. My father made me watch a John Wayne movie. I didn't see all of it, 'cause I was falling asleep. My parents told me to go to bed. I have a feeling that I'm going to watch the end of it tonight. (Sigh) Well, it's the weekend, and that means NO SCHOOL! Yay! Also, Yu-Gi-Oh! was on this morning. Enjoyed watching it a lot! I've been looking forward to this chapter for a while! Thanks to Isis the Sphinx and cheeky-eyes for the comments. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 16: Fight and Injury

It was a cloudy day, almost nightfall. Strider and the hobbits journeyed across a rocky moorland. They were making a slow progress, though. While Strider traveled at a fast pace, the hobbits didn't fair as easily. After all, they did have short legs. Every once and a while, Strider would have to pause and wait for the hobbits to catch up, especially when climbing a hill.

A roar of thunder was faintly heard across the sky. Strider looked up at it annoyingly.

"Great. Just what we need . . ." He continued to walk, increasing his pace. The hobbits, Yugi, Anzu, Hiroto, and Otogi, exhaustingly followed. Strider climbed up a huge boulder and looked at the land farther ahead. This gave the hobbits a chance to rest. They leaned against the boulder, all except for Yugi. Strider looked to the northeast, past the fog, and saw a small mountain with rocks on it in the distance. He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

"I don't think I can take much more of this, especially without food," Hiroto complained back down the boulder. Otogi nodded in agreement as sweat traveled down his nose. Yugi was about to reply when Strider jumped down smoothly right in front of them.

"Come on. We're almost there," He told them, walking around the boulder and toward the northeast. Hiroto and Otogi groaned at the thought of moving, but grudgingly continued on. Anzu followed, and Yugi brought up the rear with Draconia. Thirty minutes later, a small, circular mountain was visible. On top of it, a pile of rocks in a man-made assortment stood. Anzu and Yugi gasped at the sight.

"What is this place?" Yugi cautiously asked. Strider paused and looked at him.

"This was the watch tower of Amansûl. We shall rest here tonight," He continued to walk along silently.

When all of them had reached the base of the watch tower, they realized that they had to climb the rocky ledge. Hiroto and Otogi groaned again at the thought. Strider, Yugi, and Anzu climbed it without a word, but the other two complained all of the way. When they were halfway there, Anzu had had about enough of it. She paused in her climbing and shouted down to them, "Hey! This is bad enough without you two babbering on the way!"

"Well, excuse us! If you haven't noticed, there are no mountains in the Shire, so we're kind of new at this!" Hiroto called back.

"Well, neither are Yugi and I, and Strider . . . he's not complaining either. So if you don't mind, shut your trap!" Anzu retorted.

"Quiet," Strider called down. The hobbits reluctantly continued to climb without another word. Strider, who was the farthest up, found a dent in the mountain where they could camp. He accented to the ground, and looked around. It looked like this had been the infantry camping grounds, however little space there was. Behind him, a stone staircase led up to the top of the mountain. There was just enough room here for all of the hobbits to fit and sleep. The others finally reached the top and stood up to examine the place, too.

"Great, so now we have to sleep on hard rock? I can't believe our luck!" Hiroto sarcastically complained.

"Didn't I tell you to be quiet?" Strider asked threateningly. The hobbits all went over to the camp ground and lied their bags down eagerly. Strider went to the edge of the cliff and looked around. There were no signs of the Nazgûl yet, but there was no such thing as being too safe. As he went to get something out of his bag, the sun released its last bits of light, giving the surroundings a pinkish, golden glow. Strider kneeled down in front of the talking hobbits, laying a green cloth on the floor. The hobbits gave their attention to Strider as he opened up the cloth. Under it were four small but sharp swords.

"Right. These are for you," He threw a sword at Anzu and Otogi, while the others grabbed them from the floor, "Keep them close." Yugi and the others stared wonderingly at the weapons, since they had never held one before. Strider put away the cloth and grabbed his sword belt, "I'm going to have a look around. Stay here," He was about to jump off of the mountain, but paused, "And for heaven's sake, be quiet." Then he jumped and was out of site.

* * *

It was late at night. Yugi lay asleep on the edge of the watch tower's cliff. However, he stirred as he heard a noise and conversation. Yugi regretfully opened his eyes and turned around. His eyes widened. Otogi and Hiroto both sat around a warm fire, cooking. 

"What are you doing?" Yugi asked loudly. Otogi and Hiroto both looked up cheerfully. Anzu awoke form Yugi's outburst.

"Ah, we were hungry, so we both decided to cook. This is some nice, crispy bacon," Otogi informed him. Yugi hurriedly got up and ran over to the fire with his blanket.

"We saved some for you, Yugi," Hiroto held out a plate of hot bacon.

"Put it out, you guys! Put it out!" Yugi started smothering the fire with his blanket.

"Oh, that's nice!" Hiroto retorted.

Anzu grabbed Otogi's arm. "Don't you realize? We're being hunted! You both just practically gave our location away!" She yelled. Otogi and Hiroto looked puzzlingly at Anzu.

Then, from a distance, a loud shrieking noise erupted. All of the hobbits looked up from their affair and into the darkness. Yugi gasped, fear rising in his throat. Anzu gave a scared sob, while Otogi and Hiroto stood dumbfounded. Yugi quickly reacted and went over to get his sword. The others did the same, and then they all went to the cliff to look around. Down at the bottom of the mountain, a fog had started to collect. _'Even if they are down there, we still won't be able to see them in that,'_ Yugi thought. But he spoke two soon as he spotted five black figured walking amongst the fog. All of them were walking in the direction of the watch tower.

"The Nazgûl . . ." Yugi whispered. He drew his sword, "Go!" The others all drew there swords and started to climb the stairs. At the top of the tower, the surface was flat. The edges of the clearing were surrounded by rock archways. Yugi and the others all ran into the middle of the clearing and stood back to back so that they could see all around themselves. It seemed like forever that they stood there. Minutes seemed like hours to them, knowing what was climbing the stairs that very instant. As all of them turned to face a certain direction, they heard a clank behind them. Slowly they turned to find that one of the Nazgûl's boots made the sound.

There, right in front of them, stood five black riders staring down at them through their hoods. The hobbits backed away fearfully. The Nazgûl all drew their black swords and advanced toward them. Then they all held their swords in an attack position. Anzu gasped. Yugi looked at his friends reassuringly, yet scared. Then they all poised themselves for attack as well.

"Get back, you monsters!" Otogi yelled, launching forward at the nearest Nazgûl. No matter how fast Otogi swung his sword, the black rider was faster. Though Otogi was surprisingly good with the sword, he was no match for the Nazgûl. It took no longer than two seconds before the rider disarmed him and sent him plummeting against a nearby archway. Otogi cried in pain as he hit the wall.

"Otogi!" Anzu cried. Then a Nazgûl reached forward and tried to grab her. But Yugi was quicker, and he flung himself in front of Anzu. He swung his sword left and right, trying to hit the black rider, but just like Otogi, he was outmatched. He was disarmed two and swung against the floor far away. Yugi looked around and saw that Anzu and Hiroto were laying hurt on the ground, too, but slowly crawling toward Otogi, who was knocked out. Yugi lied there in horror as he saw two of the Nazgûl grab Anzu and Hiroto and held them by their necks in the air and laying a sword on their throats.

"NO! HIROTO! ANZU!" Yugi cried helplessly. But he had another feeling take over. He heard a whisper in his ear and he looked at his chest pocket. Gradually, he moved his hand inside the pocket and pulled out the Ring. All of the Nazgûl's attentions snapped to it in an instant. Yugi gasped frightfully. Then his terror rose as the tallest Nazgûl advanced toward him, pulling out a different sword, which was red. As it got closer, Yugi tried to back up on the floor, but it was no use. He backed against a fallen rock and looked at the black rider, who had the sword a nose's length from his throat. Then the whispering continued, and Yugi gave in. He slipped the Ring over his finger and disappeared.

As he looked around with the magic of the Ring, he found that the Nazgûl looked totally different. As the winds blew, Yugi saw the Nazgûl in King's robes. They all had different crowns and jewelry on themselves. Their robes flustered around as the wind blew them in all different directions. He saw the shadows of Hiroto and Anzu being held, too. But Yugi found something much more frightening. Since their hoods were down, Yugi was able to see their faces. It was the most disgusting sight he had ever seen. They were all rotten. The flesh was falling off of their faces, and the skin that held on was wrinkled. Yugi wanted to scream, but had lost his voice. Then he realized that the Nazgûl in front of him was different from the rest. His skin was not falling off of him and it was not wrinkled. In fact, it was fully intact. His narrow eyes were still there, not missing, and he wore no crown. His hair was still there, too. It was white, pure white. It went all the way down to his back, but was blowing in the wind at the moment. The Nazgûl's sword blade was glowing, too. Yugi's eyes widened.

Then the rider with white hair lifted his hand while smirking. Yugi felt the Ring on his index finger begin to pull his hand toward the Nazgûl. They were trying to take it away from him. The Ring started to glow as it got nearer to the white-haired Nazgûl. When his hand was almost an inch away from the white-haired rider, Yugi snatched it away with all of his strength. The Nazgûl took his hand away, too, in anger, and backed away. The white-haired Nazgûl smirked, anger in his eyes, and then thrust his glowing red sword into Yugi. Yugi screamed as the sword ripped through his skin, his ribs, and then his heart. It hurt so badly. He knew he was going to die then and there. The sword began to glow a brighter red, and the pain increased. But just as it was about to go through the rest of his body, he heard a war cry in the distance. The blade receded out of his body, and he lay there still. From what his eyes could see, someone was fighting the Nazgûl off.

It was Strider.

He had come out of nowhere, jumping from behind a rock and launching himself at the black rider on Yugi. His sword was in his hand, and he swung it with all of his might. The Nazgûl countered, but Strider was a match for them, unlike the hobbits. He ran over to the place right in front of Yugi's supposed location, and swung his sword at any Nazgûl who tried to advance. The other Nazgûl let go of Hiroto and Anzu so that they could join into the fight. Both fell to the floor, gasping for air. Otogi, who had regained consciousness, crawled over to them.

"That was Yugi screaming!" Anzu cried, looking all around for the hurt Yugi, but he was no where to be found. All she saw was Strider fighting off the Nazgûl who proceeded to get to one particular spot behind him. "He has to be there! He has the Ring on!" She realized. The others nodded and ran over to where Strider was fighting.

All Yugi saw was a dark shadow standing in front of him, dueling with swords with the Nazgûl. He knew immediately that it was Strider. But that was only a second's thought, because the wound that had pierced his heart was still hurting. Yugi looked at his finger and the Ring, pain in his eyes. He used his last bit of strength to remove the Ring, giving out another loud cry.

With the cry continuing, Yugi appeared on the ground behind Strider. His wound was bleeding badly, and he gave out another sob and scream. Anzu saw him and gasped.

"YUGI!" She cried, running over to his side. The others followed her.

Now that Yugi was protected by his friends, Strider was free to roam while fighting. He proceeded forward, in combat with a black rider. They were evenly matched, both of them blocking and attacking with the same stamina. Then the other Nazgûl joined in, making the fight five on one.

Anzu fell at Yugi's side, drowning in tears. She saw the wound in his chest and knew that it had gone to his heart. "Oh, Yugi . . ." Hiroto and Otogi also fell by Yugi's side and saw the wound. Both went rigid in shock.

"Anzu . . ." Was all Yugi could muster before he cried in pain again.

The shrieks of the Nazgûl continued as Strider took on all of them. He moved as quick as lightning, but they still approached him. He was outmatched. Then a black rider came from behind and swung his sword at Strider's neck. Strider turned around and ducked just in time. While bent, he hit the Nazgûl's legs with his sword. The rider screeched in pain. But then the other four ganged up on him again and he had to pull back. Strider heard a loud cry of pain and he looked over to his left. He saw Yugi lying on the ground, clutching his chest and breathing heavily. He realized that Yugi had been wounded. His anger grew, and he growled in fury. Turning to the progressing Nazgûl, he calmed himself and confronted them.

"That's the last move you'll ever make," Strider snarled. At that moment, though, he felt a strange uplift in himself. He felt like he contained enormous power and it burned with eagerness to be released. _'What's happening?'_ Strider thought. The feeling increasingly burned, and Strider had no choice but to let go of it. When the Ring Wraiths were a foot away from Strider, they saw that his eyes were suddenly glowing deep blue. They paused, not knowing what Strider was doing. As a matter of fact, neither did Strider. He felt like it was just an instinct and he knew immediately how to release this enormous power within himself. Over in the corner, all hobbits except for Yugi were watching Strider, too. Strider could no longer hold in the power, and he screamed with rage as all of the energy was released. The Ring Wraiths backed away as a burst of blue flame appeared above Strider. The flame got bigger and bigger, and soon it took form. It looked like a dragon, surrounded in flame, yet transparent. It's blue eyes glared at the Nazgûl as it roared in fury. Strider, who was below it, stood up straight again and joined the dragon with the staring. His eyes were still glowing, too.

"Next time, know who you're messing with before you act!" Strider roared, "Dragon, attack!" The blue-flame dragon growled and then shot a blast of white energy that looked like lightning at the Nazgûl. The shrieking of the black riders erupted as the blast hit head on. The hobbits had to cover their eyes from the light. When it receded, the Nazgûl all stood screaming as their cloaks burned in white flame. One by one, they ran off of the mountain cliff in pain. The only one that was left was the tallest who had stabbed Yugi. Strider smirked as the dragon shot an even brighter energy blast at the rider. The rider shrieked, and then also ran over the cliff, looking back for a second in malevolence.

It was all over in a minute. The dragon roared in triumph and then disappeared. Strider's eyes stopped glowing, too, and he fell to the floor on his knees. Anzu was amazed at what just happened, but she was devastated for Yugi.

"Strider!" She called desperately. He looked up, saw Yugi, and forgot the past quickly. He ran over to Yugi and examined him. "Help him, Strider . . ." Anzu choked quietly as more tears fell down her face. Strider saw a red blade lying next to Yugi, and he picked it up. His spirits dropped at the site.

"He's been stabbed by a Morsheath Blade . . ." The handle of the sword suddenly burned in his grasp as the blade turned to red dust and flew away in the wind. Strider dropped the sword immediately before it burned his skin. Yugi screamed in pain again, making Anzu put her hand on his head, crying silently. "This is beyond my skill to heal," He picked Yugi up and held him up to Otogi, who gently hung Yugi over his shoulder. Yugi screamed again. "He needs Elfish medicine . . ." Strider quickly turned and ran down the steps. The others followed, went over and grabbed their possessions as quick as possible, and joined Strider at the bottom of the mountain. Strider picked Yugi up from Otogi and sat him on Draconia. Yugi was panting in pain as the horse and the others ran on.

* * *

An hour later, in the forest bordering the moorlands, the entire journey group ran through the forest quickly. Each had a torch of fire in their hands. In the distance, they heard the screams of the Nazgûl in pain. 

"Quickly!" Strider urged them on.

"We're six days from Rivendell! He'll never make it!" Anzu cried, staring at Yugi on the horse as she ran. Strider continued to run at a set pace. The others were once again having trouble keeping up with him. In his mind, Strider couldn't help but think, _'Am I doing the right thing? Going back to Rivendell?'_

Yugi, who was slowly fading into the shadows, could only think of one thing as he traveled on.

'_MAHADO!'_

**What a nice and long chapter, don't you think? I definitely changed the Nazgûl scene, which I enjoyed writing. Sorry for any mistakes I have made (Amansûl). Btw, Morsheath is my idea. Now to go watch John Wayne . . . R&R, but please no flames?**


	16. Building an Army

**Author's Note:** I just went to see Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. I'm seeing a lot of movies lately, aren't I? Anyway, many are saying that they did not like it because of the sudden ending, but I personally enjoyed it! Thank-you keevers, cheeky-eyesand Isis the Sphinx for your comments. I hope you like the story so far. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 17: Building and Army

The gates of Isengard had turned black. Everything had turned black. All except for the fires that burned. Now, all of the trees had been dug up, burned, or chopped for supply. Every square inch of Isengard now was dirt and ash. Holes that dug deep into the earth spread across the landscape. The red glow of fire and melted metal emitted from the holes. Towers of wood for inspection also stood on the landscape, leading down into the cliffs.

Selendrills patrolled the gates of Isengard. Others ran and worked in the holes of the earth. They were everywhere. Down in the trenches was an endless cycle of work. Construction was going on in most places, while the making of weapons and tools were taking place deeper into the pit. In the hottest places, though, an army was being built.

Mahado was trapped. He was on the top of Dartz's tower and had no place to go. He sat alone, with no food or water to keep him alive. His stomach hurt, his throat burned, and he had lost all hope. It was his third day on top of the tower, and still his powers were weak. He sat now leaning against the tower's pillars on the roof. His eyes were closed and his muscles were unmoving.

'_If I could only have some water, I'd be able to get out of this mess . . .'_ Mahado thought to himself. _'If it would only rain, I could escape.'_

'**_But it won't rain,'_** A voice in the back of his head echoed his fears, **_'You're stuck here forever. You know very well that the evil here prevents any sun or rain to come.'_**

'_There must be some way out.'_

'_**The only way is to pronounce faith to Bakura.'**_

'_That's the last thing I'd ever do. I'd rather die then proclaim alliance.'_

'_**But what about Yugi? If you died, there wouldn't be anyone to protect him. He would fail his task.'**_

'_Yugi is strong. And I will not die. I don't know what it is, but I feel like someone is there to help him. It may be his friends or someone else, or both, but he is safe with them.'  
_

'_**So why do you feel such pain in your heart. You are connected with him, and you feel pain. . . . He is hurt.'**_

"Never . . ." Mahado said out loud.

'_**Yugi will die because you were not able to save him. You are too weak to do anything. Yugi will die!'**_

"NEVER!" Mahado screamed and stood up abruptly. He stumbled as his weakness caught up with him, but he didn't falter for long. His determination to save Yugi filled him with energy. With this energy, he felt a strange sensation. The energy burned within him, and soon he could not contain it. He struggled with himself to keep the power under control, but a sudden instinct filled him. It was saying _Let It Go_. Mahado obeyed and let loose the energy. He screamed in strength as the force filled him and was set free. Mahado opened his eyes to see a purple light in front of him. It got bigger and bigger until it took form.

Mahado gasped.

* * *

Down in the pits, Selendrills worked tirelessly. As the action continued, Dartz walked through it and inspected. He saw many things down there, with the Selendrills. There was not one who wasn't working. Dartz smirked at the thought of Master Bakura being pleased with him. 

He walked to the most secret area of the trench, where Selendrills were being born. They came out of fire. Once the fire reached a certain temperature, a special powder was thrown into it. Dartz had supplied this powder, of course. The fire would then turn black and a Selendrill, surrounded in black flame energy would walk out. It was very dangerous for someone to touch a Selendrill at birth, since they were very hot. Black fire was a dangerous tool to use.

Dartz, followed by his assistant Selendrill, stopped and observed the Selendrill births. All seemed to erupt in an ear-splitting roars when first born. It did not bother Dartz, but he could tell that the Selendrills supervising were almost deaf. Dartz continued to walk around the fires until he noticed one particular fire. He stopped and watched as the black fire became bigger than usual.

"How nice . . . A Selendrikal. Master Bakura will be pleased," Dartz murmured as a huge roar came from the fire. A second later, an eight foot high Selendrill emerged from the fire. The only difference between it and a Selendrill, beside its height, was that its skin was black. Dartz smirked. It was very rare to get a Selendrikal. The Selendrikal immediately jumped on the nearest Selendrill and tore him to pieces. The other Selendrills tried to help their fellow adversary, but Dartz held them back with his magic. The Selendrikal stood up from his meal and stared at Dartz. Then it observed its own body wearily.

"Welcome, my friend," Dartz said to the Selendrikal as it growled at those around it.

**Short chapter, I know. But the next one's better. _Much_ better. Well, hope you enjoyed! R&R, but no flames please?**


	17. Critiàsa, the Elf

**Author's Note:** I get to do a speech on J.K. Rowling! Yay! School stuff, I know, but I really look forward to anything about Harry Potter. Now this is going to be a cool chapter! Thank-you, Isis the Sphinx, for your comment. Enjoy!

("_Italics_" – Elf language translated to English)

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 18: Critiàsa, the Elf

Yugi was fading. His violet eyes were turning white, his skin was going pale, and he had started to wheeze in air shakily. The wound on his chest had stopped bleeding, but the pain in Yugi's heart endured. Strider had told the hobbits to stop for a moment, so that he could patrol the area ahead. Anzu picked Yugi up from Draconia's back and laid him softly on the ground. She put her hand on his forehead.

"Yugi?" She asked. All he did was wheeze in another breath while looking at her. She then looked at Strider. "He's going cold!" She cried. Hiroto's face finally broke, and he let loose a single tear.

"I-Is he going to die?" He asked Strider. Strider turned back around to face Hiroto.

"He's passing into the Shadow Realm. He will soon become a Wraith like them," Strider replied gravely. Yugi gave another loud wheeze, making Anzu turn her attention back to him. Then they all looked up startlingly as a shriek was heard. The source of the shriek wasn't far away.

"They're close," Otogi whispered. Strider decided to take quick action to Yugi's health. He ran over to Anzu.

"Anzu, do you know the Atholas plant?" He urgently asked her.

"Atholas?" Anzu echoed confusedly.

"It's also known as King's Wood."

"Kings Wood? . . . That's a weed, isn't it?" Strider nodded.

"Find it. It may help to slow the poison," Strider threw her his torch of fire as he stood up; "I'll go in this direction. You go in the other. And hurry!" Anzu nodded and then ran off in the direction Strider pointed. Strider started to run the other way, but paused and looked back at Otogi and Hiroto. "You two, watch Yugi. Make sure the Wraiths don't sense him." The other two hobbits nodded. Strider ran into the surrounding woods.

Strider walked through the woods, looking at the ground. Waving another torch around for light, he saw a little weed on the ground with white flowers on it. Examining it, he realized that he had found the weed. "Anzu!" He called. Anzu burst out of the bushes to find him.

"What?" She asked.

"I've found it. Go back to Yugi!" He commanded. Anzu nodded and then ran back to the others. Strider pulled out his knife and cut some of the weed off. Just when he was about to stand up, he felt a cold piece of metal suddenly touch his neck. Strider froze immediately.

"What's this? A ranger caught off of his guard?" Strider heard a familiar voice say.

* * *

Yugi knew that his time had come. He could barely breathe, and he could no longer see through his eyes. The darkness had consumed him. He felt so scared, and the pain in his chest got worse with every passing second. Yugi wanted to scream in agony, but he could not find his voice. The darkness was too much for him.

But just when he thought that all hope had been lost, a single glimmer of light started to shine in the distance. Yugi turned to it, gratefully taking it in. The light got stronger, and Yugi felt his spirits rising. Then he heard the hoof beats of a horse. Illuminating the light, a white horse and its rider appeared. He could then see the forest around him. Yugi saw the rider's shadow and saw the long strands of hair brushing through the air. It was a girl. Yugi saw the rider jump off of the horse and walk over to him. The light, which was so bright and welcoming to Yugi, seemed to be coming from her chest. Then Yugi saw her features.

She was very beautiful. Her hair, somewhat concealing her face, went down to her mid-back. It was the kind of hair where it looked blonde in the light, yet light brown in the dark. Her face was perfect in every way. She wore a silver dress with blue velvet running down the middle. The sleeves on her arms spread out widely at the end so that they hung down to the length of her dress. She seemed about 5'8". Her eyes, a deep hazel color, burned into Yugi as he gasped painfully at the sight. Around her neck, a necklace with a silver pendant in the shape of a dragon gave out the shining light.

"Yugi . . ." The woman said. Her voice was soft, yet firm. "_I am Critiàsa. I've come to help you. Hear my voice . . . Come back to the light._" But then the light faded, and darkness returned. Yugi felt the air become harder to breathe again, and the pain in his chest returned.

"Who is she?" Otogi whispered, awestruck. Critiàsa leaned down to the ground to examine Yugi. Strider came up right behind her and started to pull the weed's leafs away. Anzu looked at Critiàsa and saw that she had pointy ears. Anzu gasped.

"She's an elf . . ."

"Yugi . . ." Critiàsa murmured. ". . . He's fading." Strider gathered some of the weed's leaves and pulled back Yugi's shirt to show a glowing red wound. Strider rubbed the leaves on the wound, and Yugi wheezed painfully again at the touch. "He's not going to last. We must get him to my father," She said urgently. Strider nodded and they both picked up Yugi and put him on Critiàsa's horse.

"Where are you taking him?" Otogi asked as they strapped Yugi to the saddle. Strider and Critiàsa ignored him.

"I've been looking for you for two days. There are five Wraiths behind you. Where the other four are, I do not know." Critiàsa warned Strider. Strider nodded and then looked at Critiàsa.

"_Stay with the hobbits . . . I'll send horses for you_," Strider told her in a strange, yet beautiful language. Critiàsa shook her head.

"_I'm the fastest rider. I'll take him_," She declared. Strider shook his head back disapprovingly.

"_The Road is too dangerous_."

"What are they saying?" Hiroto whispered to his friends. The others just listened, though not understanding a word.

"_If I can get close to my homeland, the power of my Ka will protect him_," Critiàsa stated. "I do not fear them," She said in English. Strider seemed to understand and nodded.

"Don't mess this up," He warned. Critiàsa just smiled, taking it as a joke. Strider smiled back, and then backed away so she could get onto her horse. "Critiàsa . . ." She looked back as his face turned serious, "Ride hard. Never turn back." Critiàsa nodded and then turned to her horse. She stroked its neck soothingly and whispered something in Elfish to it. The horse readied for the long journey, pounding its hoofs against the ground. Then, in a seconds grasp, the horse ran off at top speed, leaving Strider looking back worriedly. Anzu ran over to Strider angrily.

"What are you doing? Those Wraiths are still out there! Yugi could get hurt again!" She cried. Strider just continued to look at the place where Critiàsa had departed.

* * *

It was morning by the time Critiàsa was halfway to Rivendell. As she rode, Yugi sat in front of her, gasping for air. She urged her horse forward, and surprisingly, the horse was not drenched with sweat.

But then Critiàsa heard other hoof beats that were not her own. She looked to her left and saw a black rider, cloth on its cloak burnt away, following her. She then looked to her right and saw another one. Traveling through the woods, it was hard to escape out of sight of the Nazgûl. As Critiàsa rode on, she realized that all nine Wraiths were following her. Somehow, though, her horse continued to outrun the Nazgûl, if only by a few feet.

Critiàsa remained fearless as she rode on, murmuring "Hold on, Yugi . . . Just hold on." Then she decided to confuse the Wraiths to gain a lead. She rode her horse back and forth between trees. Each rider tried to follow her, but eventually ran into each other, slowing them down. She ran through the tree's branches, which cut her face, distracting the Nazgûl. Then they ran out of the forest into open moorland. There was no way to distract here. Critiàsa had to win the race by sheer speed.

The Nazgûl circled all around her as the horses ran. She could not escape. Critiàsa leaned over to whisper in her horse's ear. With the elfish language, she pushed the horse faster. Soon, they were racing out of the Wraith circle. But as she exited, one of the Nazgûl tried to reach for Yugi sitting in front of her. The hand, covered in metal, stretched out and almost touched Yugi, but Critiàsa forced her horse to go faster. They escaped from the rider's hand without contact. Just up ahead, there was another forest to enter before entering the Elfish lands. They all entered it quickly. As they rode deeper into the forest, Critiàsa finally heard the fast rushing of water. A moment later, a clear blue lake appeared through the trees. Critiàsa ran through it, and then stopped on the other side. She turned her horse around to face the enemy. As the Nazgûl rode up to the river, they stopped at the edge. None of them wanted to touch the water. The Ring Wraiths emitted shrieks of anger and longing as they looked at Critiàsa.

Then one of the Wraiths spoke in a dry, deep voice, "Give up the half-ling, witch . . ." Critiàsa just stared back, and then drew her elegant silver sword.

"If you want him, come and claim him!" She declared. All of the Wraiths drew their black swords and held them up to her. Then, slowly but surely, they proceeded into the water.

As they advanced, Critiàsa closed her eyes. She focused all of her power and concentration deep within her heart. In it, she found the light that was needed to willingly call forth her Ka. She started to chant a spell to bring it forth from her heart:

"_The light within, hear my call,_

_Protect us from this evil brawl._

_From you, darkness shall be shredded,_

_And all that is bright shall be embedded._

_Come forth to vanquish the evil within,_

_The creator of light, Blue-Eyes White Dragon_!"

The pendant around Critiàsa's neck then began to glow as she chanted the ancient words. The Wraiths paused in their march. The light grew stronger and stronger, making the Nazgûl step back. The sun setting behind Critiàsa began to shine stronger until it illuminated all sight. Then there was a ferocious roar, full of strength and power. When the light receded, the Wraiths saw an enormous dragon hovering above Critiàsa and Yugi. It was about 297 feet tall, its wings larger then that. Its scales shined white where the light hit them, while the rest in shadow appeared to be blue. Its eyes burned a deep blue, glowing in the strengthened light. The tale moved back and forth in the air, and its wings beat fiercely, sending powerful gusts of wind in every direction. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon roared again, which sounded like a high shriek mixed with a snake and a tiger. The Wraiths began to back up out of the river quickly, but Critiàsa acted quicker.

"White Dragon, send these foul creatures into the abyss!" The Blue-Eyes growled, a white light starting to glow in its mouth. When the blast of energy was too much to contain, the dragon let it loose. The white energy hit the Nazgûl viciously. They all shrieked in pain as the white fire burnt through their very souls. When the light faded, the Nazgûl were no where to be seen.

Critiàsa sighed in exhaustion as her Ka defeated the enemy. "_Thank-you . . ._" She murmured before the Dragon was locked away again in her heart. Critiàsa backed her horse onto the other side of the river, in Rivendell. Then she heard Yugi begin to gasp louder. He was finally passing into the Shadow Realm.

"Oh, no . . ." Critiàsa put Yugi on the ground, gasping for breath, "Yugi . . . Yugi, no! Yugi, don't give in! Not now!" Yugi just stared in her direction with unseeing eyes. Critiàsa sighed and pulled off her pendant. She put it around Yugi's neck and placed her hand on it.

'_What Grace has given me, let it pass to him . . . Let him be spared. Please, White Dragon, save him. Use your light to penetrate the darkness within his heart . . .'_

**YAY! Blue-Eyes! My favorite parts are with the White Dragon in it. Hope you liked it! R&R, but no flames please?**


	18. The Elves' Home Part 1

**Author's Note:** Now everyone's in Rivendell. This should be pretty interesting to write. As an added note, Critiàsa is my OC. It's at the beginning of my story in the author's note, if you want to know. Just check that periodically to refresh your mind. Thank-you keevers, Isis the Sphinx, cheeky-eyes and NewSon for your comments, and thank-you cheeky-eyes for your comment the previous chapter. So many reviews! I really appreciate them all! Now for the story . . . enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 19: The Elves' Home: Part 1

Yugi was regaining consciousness. He felt most of his pain recede as time moved on. He wanted to cry out for help, but could not find his voice. Because he was helpless, all he did was lie wherever he was. Soon, he could hear again, and he pricked up his ears to listen. Sometimes, he thought he heard Anzu, Hiroto, and Otogi talking, other times he heard a man's deep voice. At last, though, he finally had the strength to move. Yugi twitched, and then struggled to open his eyelids.

"W-where am I?" Yugi's voice sounded hoarse from lack of use. He heard a man's sigh of relief, and then a reply.

"You are in the house of Elrond. . . . And it is 10:00 in the morning, on October the twenty-fourth, if you want to know." Yugi suddenly recognized the voice and summoned the strength to open his eyes. There, sitting beside the bed Yugi was in, was Mahado. Yugi gasped in amazement. Without a second's thought of his weakness, he sat up straight.

"Mahado?" Yugi whispered.

"Yes, I'm here," He gave Yugi a genuine smile, ". . . And you're lucky to be here, too. A few more hours and you would have been beyond our aid," His entire body relaxed knowing that Yugi was safe. He, along with Yugi's friends, had been very worried when he was unconscious. His eyes revealed pride, "But you had some strength in you, my dear friend."

Yugi took his pause to look around and see where he was. He sat on a large, comfy bed draped in golden linens. The room he was in was circular, and not a single straight line was in sight. The windows had no glass to separate them from the outside world. Instead, the archway that was the door led straight to the porch. As he observed, a cool breeze blew onto Yugi, making him feel a strange happiness.

But as he turned around to observe, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Yugi groaned and put his hand on it. Though he had been saved from the Shadow Realm, the wound from the blade was still there. Mahado noticed his pain and sighed.

"Now you carry another great burden, Yugi. I'm sorry." Yugi tried to ignore the pain by asking a question that was burning inside of him.

"What happened, Mahado? Why didn't you meet us?" Mahado showed tension on his face as he answered.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Yugi. . . . . I was delayed," Mahado turned back to the memory of his escape. It was not pleasant, yet it amazed him of the power he contained.

* * *

Mahado opened his eyes to see a purple light in front of him. It got bigger and bigger until it took form. 

Mahado gasped.

In front of him was a man, with his identical features, dressed in purple. His suit was like a magician's robe. It strapped tightly to his body, but pointed outward at the neck. His hood went upward, making him look like he had a pointy head. In his hand, he held a green staff with a turquoise jewel set on top. But it was the face that astonished Mahado the most. His cheeks, his nose, his ears, his hair, and especially his eyes were Mahado's. It was like he was meeting his twin for the first time . . . except he had none. The man floated inches above the floor.

"Who are you?" Mahado gasped. The man smiled kindly.

"You, of all people should know, Mahado, High Priest of Egypt," He replied. _'Dear Ra, he even has my voice!'_ Mahado thought. He took a moment to stare at the man and think, and then suddenly gasped.

"Are you my Ka?" He whispered. The man nodded.

"I am. And I have come to help you in these dark times. First of all, to help you off of this tower," The Ka replied sternly. But Mahado still had many questions.

"How did I not know I had a Ka all of this time?"

"You live in Egypt, right? All High Priests have a Ka."

"You mean Isis, Karim, Our Pharaoh . . . They all have one?" Mahado asked excitedly. The Ka nodded again.

"Even your apprentice, Mana, has one," He calmly told his Master. This took Mahado aback. _'So, I have a Ka, as do all of my friends. But what strength does my Ka have?'_ Mahado thought quickly, taking in the shock. He expected himself last of all to receive a Ka.

"What is your name?"

"Well, technically, I'm you. I am your spirit in form, as you well know. I'm sort of like your Yami, you might say," The Ka replied, "But I'm formally known as the Dark Magician."

"Yami?" Mahado asked confusedly.

"It's Japanese for 'dark-half'," The Dark Magician informed him. Mahado nodded.

"Well, Dark Magician, thank-you for coming. I am honored to fight at your side," Mahado kneeled down to a bow. But then he felt two hands on his shoulders picking him up to his feet.

"Please, Master, the honor is all mine . . ." And he bowed deeply to Mahado. Just when they were getting used to each other, though, a voice sounded from behind the Dark Magician.

"Well, well, what have we here?" There was a flash of aquamarine light, and then Dartz appeared on the other side of the tower roof. The Dark Magician stood up quickly and stood in front of Mahado to protect him. Since Mahado was very weak, it would be suicide to fight against a fully refreshed magician like Dartz. But all Dartz did was walk up straight to the Dark Magician's face and stare at him in the eye. "I have to say, Mahado, you are _quite_ unpredictable. To summon a Ka at the brink of your destruction? And a powerful one at that! Well done!" Dartz mock clapped in appreciation. Mahado and the Dark Magician both narrowed their eyes. Dartz backed away to the middle of the tower's roof and then laughed. "But you still can not defeat me. Do you realize that I have the power of the Orichalcos?"

The Dark Magician gasped. The Orichalcos was a forbidden evil to all sorcerers. It was then that he realized that Dartz was truly evil and had to be stopped. Dartz chuckled again, "Well, let's just finish it now, shall we?" And he thrust his staff in the direction of Mahado. The invisible force flew at Mahado, but was stopped by another one. Dartz gasped. The Dark Magician had used his own magic just in time to protect his Master. With a glare, the Dark Magician struck back and threw his magic at Dartz. This time, Dartz was unprepared for the strike and was almost thrown over the edge. Keeping him down with his magic, the magician walked toward Dartz.

"I will let no harm come to my Master, or any other innocent person," He growled. Dartz glared back, frustrated that he was being defeated by the magician. Mahado just stood where he was, dumbfounded by his Ka's power.

Then the Dark Magician quickly released his hold on Dartz and thrust his staff into the air. He suddenly had the ability to fly and went over to Mahado. Dartz quickly stood up and yelled, "One ill turn deserves another, Mahado! It is over! You must embrace the power of the Ring, or embrace your own destruction!" He then tried to throw Mahado off of his tower with his magic, but the Dark Magician blocked it again. Mahado glared at Dartz.

"There is only one Lord of the Ring. Only one who can bend it to his will. And he does not share power!" Mahado told Dartz solemnly. Then the Dark Magician grabbed hold of his arm, and they flew off into the distance at lightning speed together, a purple glimmer of light.

". . . So you have chosen death . . ." Dartz muttered.

* * *

**That's part 1. Part 2 will come later, when we get back to Yugi and Mahado. So, what do you think of the Dark Magician? R&R, but no flames please?**


	19. The Elves' Home Part 2

**Author's Note:** Speech tomorrow! And it's over J.K. Rowling. Such a treat. Well, here's part 2. Glad 'yall liked the Dark Magician thing! Isis the Sphinx, cheeky-eyes, and Hydro-Wolf, thank-you for your comments! And on the story, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 20: The Elves' Home Part 2

"Mahado?" Yugi asked in a puzzled way. Mahado had drifted in his mind, his eyes and body making no sign of awareness in the world. Yugi's voice brought Mahado out of his trance, and he blinked in confusion at him. Then he remembered the situation. "What is it? Why were you out of it?" Mahado regained his composure and shook his head quickly.

". . . Nothing, Yugi," But as soon as he said it, his smile faded, and he went back to thinking about something. Yugi just stared at him worriedly. He did not like it when Mahado was worried. It was never something minor. But suddenly, he heard a door open to his left, and then a gasp. Yugi turned to see Anzu at the doorway, with a white, elegant dress on her. Her face was full of joy.

"Yugi?" She cried happily. Yugi's spirits rose to see her in such a good mood. Anzu ran over and, without knowing what she was doing, hugged him tightly. They were both laughing cheerfully. "Yugi!" She laughed.

"Anzu!" Yugi said at the same time.

"Thank goodness you're awake!" Anzu exclaimed. Mahado, broken out of his thoughts, smiled at the two.

"Anzu has hardly left your side, Yugi. You're lucky to have a friend as dedicated as her," He shortly gestured his hand toward Anzu. At the sound of Mahado's voice, though, she seemed to finally realize that she was hugging Yugi. She quickly pulled back, blushing. They smiled at each other.

"We were that worried about you, weren't we Mr. Mahado?" She looked at Mahado expectantly. Mahado sighed teasingly.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Mahado? And, yes, you were as worried as I and Elrond were," He reflected over what he had just said. But then he saw someone at the door, and smiled. "Speaking of Lord Elrond, by his skills, you're beginning to mend."

Another man came into the room. He was very elegant, and looked just like the other elf that they had met in the forest. His silver robes shined in the sunlight entering the room. His hair, a dark brown, ran all the way down to his mid back, and it was tied together in different, yet beautiful, fashions. Yugi gaped at the elf as he walked in. Lord Elrond stood beside Mahado, and smiled wisely at Yugi. Anzu sat down on the bed next to Yugi.

"Welcome to Rivendell, Yugi Mutou," Elrond said slowly, allowing every one of his words sink in to the others. Yugi smiled gratefully at Elrond. He nodded back.

* * *

Rivendell was indeed a marvelous place. It lied right in the middle of two tall cliffs of rock. Trees and plants of all varieties grew on the sides of the ridges. Waterfalls fell from almost every corner. Rivers and streams ran through every path in Rivendell.

Yugi had been right. There were no straight lines in this Elvin city. Every building, home, and sculpture was made of white marble and granite. All Elves had long hair, whether woman or man, it did not matter. There were no other horses but white ones, too. And all of the Elves seemed to wear blue cloaks.

Yugi stepped onto Lord Elrond's balcony as the sun went down. He was totally refreshed now, with all of his strength back. The he saw Anzu on a marble walkway below him. Yugi ran down to the walkway and greeted Anzu. She just smiled and they both continued to walk together. But as they walked, they heard cries of joy and surprise behind them. Turning around, they both saw Otogi and Hiroto running toward them. Yugi gasped and ran toward them both as well. Anzu stayed behind, watching them. All three boys gave each other swift hugs and pats on the back. As they talked, Anzu cleared her throat to get their attention. All three boys turned to her, and she nodded in a direction past them. Yugi quickly turned around to see an old man dressed finely in baby blue sitting on a marble bench a little ways down the path. Yugi stood frozen to the spot, making sure that the person was who he thought it was. When he was sure, he ran to the old man joyfully.

"Grandpa! Grandpa!" He cried as he ran to his grandfather. Sugoroku looked up in mock surprise. When he saw his grandson, he stood up as quickly as he could and held out his arms for a hug. Yugi slammed into him gratefully.

"Hello, my dear boy!" Sugoroku laughed. They stood there for a moment, both happy to see each other. Yugi's friends stood behind smiling broadly. When the two separated, Yugi's eyes were filled with tears of joy. So many people, or hobbits, close to him were here in Rivendell. Yugi stared into Sugoroku's eyes happily. Then he realized that he looked much older and more brittle then before. Yugi couldn't believe how fast he'd aged in such a short time. His hair was white, not gray, and he had many wrinkles on his face. Then he realized something: _'The Ring gave Grandpa a long life. Now that he's without it, he's aging quickly . . .'_

* * *

Yugi sat in his grandfather's room. Sugoroku was staring out the glassless windows while Yugi looked through a thick leather book. When he turned to the first page, he realized something. It said:

There and Back Again . . .

A Hobbit's Tale By

Sugoroku Mutou

Yugi read this aloud in happy shock. He flipped through its pages, observing the artwork of his grandfather's maps, drawings, and handwriting. "This is wonderful . . ." He murmured as he flipped. Sugoroku turned around and walked toward Yugi.

"I meant to go back . . . to a place I haven't been in a long time. The forests . . . see that lonely mountain again . . ." He said everything quietly and slow. He was indeed old now. He sat down next to Yugi on the bench. "But age, it seems, has finally caught up with me." Yugi looked sad for his grandfather, but turned back to the book. He turned the page and saw a map of the Shire. He longingly stared at it.

". . . I miss the Shire. I spent all of my childhood pretending I was off somewhere else. With you, actually, on one of your adventures. . . . But my own adventure turned out to be quite different," He sighed and looked at the map, and then at Sugoroku, "I'm not like you, Grandpa. I wish I was sometimes, but then again, I'm glad I'm not." Sugoroku seemed touched. He smiled faintly.

"My dear boy . . . thank-you."

* * *

Yugi was walking along the marble walkway, thinking of the things to come. Then he heard clattering. He turned to the side and saw Anzu packing her travel bag. Slowly, he walked over to her.

"Now, if only I could get some of those potatoes from Elrond . . ." He heard her mumbling to herself. Then she head footsteps. She turned around and saw Yugi smiling at her.

"Packed already?" He teasingly asked her. She stood up immediately.

"I don't want to be unprepared . . ." She quietly said. Yugi chuckled, and then looked over the edge of the walkway at the lake below.

"I thought you wanted to see the Elves, Anzu," He continued to tease.

"I do."

"_More than anything_," He added.

"I did. It's just . . . we did what Mahado wanted, didn't we? We got the Ring this far to Rivendell. Then I thought . . . since you're almost healed, we'd be off soon. You know, off home?" Yugi paused, longing to go back to the Shire. He weakly smiled and turned to Anzu.

"You're right, Anzu. We did what we set out to do," He put his hand into his pocket and pulled out the Ring, "The Ring will be safe in Rivendell. I am ready to go home . . ." Then they walked away, hand in hand.

**That chapter was a little too cheerful for me. I'm not the goody-two-shoes type of girl. Oh, well. R&R, but no flames please?**


	20. A Discouraging Conversation

**Author's Note:** Now for all of you Jonouchi and Atem fans, they're here! And it only gets better! And of course, it's the weekend, so I have all of the time I want to write. Isis the Sphinx, Angel Gunner Lenne and cheeky-eyes, thank-you for your comments! I always appreciate them. And for the story, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 21: A Discouraging Conversation

Above the stone walkway, in Elrond's home, two men watched Yugi and Anzu walk slowly away. Both were very observant, thinking to themselves.

"His strength is returning," The man with brown hair, Elrond, stated. Mahado, standing right next to him, gave a sad sigh and his face clouded in grief.

"That wound of his will never fully heal. He will carry it for the rest of his life . . . And it's my entire fault. If only I had gone myself, he would still be a free hobbit . . ." Elrond seemed disappointed in Mahado. He walked over to his study room, Mahado staying where he was.

"Come now, Mahado, you know better than to speak like that. You and I both know that it would be impossible for you to carry that Ring, which I see you did realize. Personally, I think that you made a strange, yet wise choice. He has come so far still baring the Ring. And yet the hobbit has shown extraordinary resilience to its evil," Elrond sat down at his curvy desk and flipped through some glittering papers. Mahado nodded.

"It is a burden he should have never had to bare. We can ask no more of Yugi, Elrond," Mahado tried to point out some facts.

"Mahado," Elrond stated loudly and clearly, "The enemy is moving. Bakura's forces are regrouping in the East. His eye is fixed on Rivendell," Mahado looked down at the floor. "And Dartz, as you tell me, has betrayed us. Our list of allies grows thin, Mahado. What would you propose we do?"

Mahado stood there silently for a moment, thinking. "His treachery runs deeper than you know. Dartz has crossed Selendrills with Black fire. He's breeding an army in the caverns of Isengard. An army that can move in sunlight, and cover great distances quickly. Dartz is coming for the Ring."

Elrond's face was of shock, "This evil can not be concealed by the power of the Elves . . . We do not have the strength to fight both Helmosore and Isengard!" Mahado looked at Elrond, and then looked out the window again. "Mahado, the Ring cannot stay here."

Mahado lowered his head and sighed, as if he had been expecting Elrond to say it. His mind trailed back to when he first discovered the Ring, and then how he could not make it to the Prancing Pony. And worst of all, when Yugi had been stabbed by a black rider. It had only been because of his friends and allies that Yugi had survived. Then he realized something that he had forgotten. But as he looked out of the window, he saw the gates of Rivendell open. Mahado was puzzled by this. With his enhanced eyesight, he observed the people coming into the Elves' home. One man who he noticed entered full speed on his horse. He had long, brown hair and wore silver armor. Right behind him, a boy no older than 18 rode in on his horse. He had blond hair that almost covered his eyes. His armor was brown with flashes of gold on it, and he rode his horse in full confidence. On his head, he wore a skull of a horned cow. As Mahado looked at each of the others entering, he wondered what was going on.

But then someone caught his eye. A man covered in gold rode into Rivendell on a gray horse. He looked just like Yugi, only with more angular features. Parts of his blond bangs also stood up along with the rest of his hair. His forehead was covered by a piece of gold with an oddly shaped eye on it. On his ears, he had golden streaks attached, making him look like an elf. Around his neck, an upside down golden pyramid pendant sat. As he entered at full gallop, guards followed him inside.

"My Pharaoh . . ." Mahado murmured. Elrond strode over to see what Mahado was looking at.

"Ah, I see you have noticed our visitors," He commented lightly. Mahado slowly took his eyes off of his home ruler and looked at Elrond.

"Why? Why is my King here, along with everyone else?" Mahado whispered.

"I have called great warriors and kings from across the world to come. This peril belongs to all of us. They must decide now how to end it. We will be having an important council later on. I trust you understand my reasons?" Elrond asked. Mahado nodded. "The time of the Elves is over. My people are leaving these shores. Who will you look to when we are gone? The dwarfs? They hide in their mountains, seeking riches. They care nothing for the troubles of others."

Then Mahado pulled himself out of his reverie and focused on the task at hand. He cleared his throat, making Elrond turn around again to face him. "It is in men that we must place our hope." He stated flatly.

"Men . . . Men are weak," He went to his study and started to climb down a staircase. Mahado followed. They then emerged in a secret study. "The race of men is fading," Elrond continued on, "Their blood is all but spent. Their pride and dignity forgotten. It is because of men the Ring survives. . . . I was there, Mahado, 3000 years ago, when Isildur took the Ring. I was there when the strength of men failed . . ." He was then lost in his memories of that horrible day, "I lead Isildur into the heart of Mt. Doom, where it was created. The one place it could be destroyed! . . . It should have ended that day, but evil was allowed to endure . . ." He then "woke up" and turned around to face Mahado, "Isildur kept the Ring. The line of kings is broken. There's no strength left in the world of men. They're scattered, divided, leaderless . . ."

Mahado broke him off, "There is one who could unite them. . . . One who could reclaim the throne of Gondor."

Elrond was silent for a moment, "He turned from that path a long time ago . . ."

**Yet another chapter completed. Hope you all like it! R&R, but no flames please?**


	21. The Legendary Sword

**Author's Note:** Sorry that I took a while on updating. My father's been making me watch more old movies for some strange reason. I guess they're better than John Wayne, but . . . Anyway, here's yet another chapter! Thank-you, Isis the Sphinx and Angel Gunner Lenne for your comments. I like this one! Enjoy! 

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 22: The Legendary Sword

In a building of Rivendell, Strider sat on a stone bench, gazing into the distance. The room was like an indoor garden, with many growing things all around a clear blue lake. That is, on the lower half of the room. Stairs led up to the higher ground, where the most delicate work of the Elves had been taken into account. Various paintings hung on the walls, columns and rails bordering the drop-off to the lower half, and in the middle, a statue of a dragon holding a tray. On the tray, something lay there. The moonlight gleamed into the room through the openings in the rooms, giving it a silver glow.

Just then, Strider heard a noise of the door being opened. As he turned to look, he saw a man walk in who had long, brown hair and silver armor. He did not seem to notice Strider as he walked around, gazing at the paintings on the walls. He gasped at each one in awe at the Elves' handiwork. He stopped at one painting and stared at it for a while. The painting bore the scene of Bakura's death and destruction, as well as Isildur's victory.

Then he turned around and noticed the statue of the dragon. He climbed up the steps surrounding it and gazed into its ruby eyes.

"The Luster Dragon . . ." He murmured, looking at the dragon statue. Then he looked down at the tray and gasped. On it laid the broken sword that cut the Ring off of Bakura's body. "And the Sword of the King . . ." He picked it up and held the handle firm in his grip, "The blade that cut the Ring from Bakura's hand," He ran his fingers along the blade. When his finger got to the top, he pushed hard on his skin. The tip cut a deep gash in it, and the blood oozed out. "It's still sharp . . ." He gasped.

But then he realized that he was not alone in the room. He looked over to the bench to see Strider still sitting there, staring with unblinking eyes. The man automatically put the sword down clumsily onto the tray, "But no more than a broken weapon." The sword, which was placed on the edge, cluttered to the ground. The man paused in his departure, almost looking like he would go back and put the sword up onto its rightful place, but then continued to walk on and exit the room. The sword was left lying on the ground.

But then another hand picked it up. Strider firmly held it in his hand for a moment, admiring its fit to his hand, and then gently lay it back on the dragon's tray. Then he stood there, many thought going through his head.

Suddenly, a woman's voice spoke behind him, "Why do you fear the past?" Strider glanced back to see who it was. It was Critiàsa. "You are Isildur's heir, not Isildur himself. You are not bound to his fate."

"Why do you care?" He growled back to her. When he could see that she was not going to give in to his anger, he sighed, "His blood runs through my veins . . ." He then stepped down and turned to face Critiàsa, "His betrayal . . ."

Critiàsa defied him, "Your time will come. You will face the same evil, and you will defeat it. The Shadow does not sway yet. Not over you . . . not over me." She smiled.

**Short one, I know. But sometimes, that's a good thing. I'll get to the next chapter soon, promise! R&R, but no flames please?**


	22. The Charm of the Blue Eyes White Dragon

**Author's Note:** Wow! School's almost over! Don't you just love that feeling? I know I do. We have to do a last project where we present the lyrics to a song in a professional way. I'm going to do my favorite song, Far Away by Nickelback. Also, thank-you for all of the reviews lately! It's really nice to receive them, so Angel Gunner Lenne, cheeky-eyes, Isis the Sphinx, and "unknown" (Hmm . . . I wonder who _that_ could be. Thanks for reading it so fast, by the way!), thank-you so much for your comments. Here's yet again another chapter, and a lot of your questions get answered here!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 23: The Charm of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon

In the forests of Rivendell, two people strolled through it in the moonlight. There was a nice, cool breeze in the air, lifting up the leaves on the forest ground into the air. As they continued to walk, the two came across a white stone bridge. When they were halfway across it, the girl broke the silence.

"I remember when I first met you," Critiàsa said, "I was in my royal garden, practicing my magic. But I wanted an adventure, so I walked outside of my father's protective arms and explored Rivendell on my own," She laughed.

"But you soon ran into trouble," Strider added. Critiàsa nodded.

"You'll never forget that, will you?" She teased.

"No," He answered her back seriously.

"Well, I seemed to have run out of Rivendell, but of course I didn't know that. I was attacked by a Metifurial (giant wolf), and none of my spells could defeat it . . ."

"And then I showed up." Critiàsa nodded.

"And then you showed up. With just one strike of your sword you were able to conquer the Metifurial. I've never met anyone brave enough to do that. We've known each other ever since," Critiàsa finished.

"But that was before you realized that you had a Ka, though," Strider added once again. Critiàsa nodded again, her mind straying off somewhere else.

"Long years have passed since then . . ." She murmured, as if that was a bad thing, "You did not have the troubles you carry now . . . Do you remember what I told you?" Strider nodded. He glanced at the dragon pendant on her necklace.

"You said you were bound to me . . . Forsaking your immortal life," Strider murmured back.

"And to that, I stay true. As long as you are here, I shall live . . ." Strider looked shocked. Then he seemed to grasp a concept.

"Is that why - ?" He started to ask, but Critiàsa cut him off.

"Yes. What is mine is yours, and that includes my Ka," She explained to him.

"So then . . . that night with the black riders . . . the dragon covered in blue flames . . . that was the Blue-Eyes White Dragon?" Strider whispered in awe.

"It was indeed. You were in danger, and my spirit called out to you. That was the way I appeared," She continued to reveal her side of the story. They both stopped walking, halting in the middle of the bridge's path.

"But then, what was with the blue flames covering it?" Strider asked. Critiàsa smiled.

"That was my rage releasing itself. I have enormous power and strength with my Ka, and I can not always contain it. It is the downfall of having a Ka like my own . . ." She lowered her head as if regretting it. "I also gave you my strength so that you would prevail. It takes great skill to defeat the black riders, and you have that," She seemed to be fighting with herself to make a decision. Strider, on the other hand, just stood there in amazement. Finally, Critiàsa reached her hands back behind her hair and undid the chain that was holding her dragon charm. She held it gently in her palm, and then pulled out Strider's hand and placed it there. As if he didn't have enough surprises at the moment, he gasped when he saw what he was holding. It started to glow a deep blue as soon as he touched it.

"I choose to give the Blue-Eyes White Dragon to you . . ." She whispered to him. He looked up at Critiàsa.

"You can not give me this!" He protested. She just smiled.

"It is mine to give to whom I will. That pendant contains my power, like the Ring contains Bakura's. The Blue-Eyes will protect you, as well as give you that strength and power. I am the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. I will always be with you."

Strider slowly nodded. He put the pendant around his neck. As if on queue, a blinding light appeared above his head, and it soon took form into Critiàsa's, now Strider's, Ka: the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. It did not roar in might, but stood there and stared at them with wise, midnight blue eyes, its scales glowing silver in the moonlight. It kneeled down to their height, and both climbed onto its back. With a growl, the dragon took off into the air and flew toward the moon and clouds.

**I just love it when the Blue-Eyes comes out. I thought that it would be neat, especially at night. So, what do you think? R&R, but no flames please?**


	23. The Founding of the Fellowship

**Author's Note:** SUMMER SCHOOL IS OVER! What a wonderful relief . . . which means that I will be able to update faster, until real school starts. I'm also going to Colorado for about a week in August or something like that, but I think I can bring my laptop. Btw, I'm sorry for not updating a little quicker this time. I'm usually fast at this, but school got in the way. Thank-you, Isis the Sphinx, Angel Gunner Lenne, cheeky-eyes, and Hydro-Wolf for your comments. Anyway, now comes the Fellowship! I know some of you have been waiting for this chapter a while, so here ya go! Enjoy!

P.S. – Just assume that everyone knows Atem's name. I don't want to be calling him The Pharaoh all of the time.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 24: The Founding of the Fellowship

Yugi walked under a stone archway that led to another marble stair climb. It very high up in Rivendell elevation, and Yugi found himself out of breath. Mahado had told Yugi earlier that he had been summoned by Elrond to a special meeting. Yugi had been puzzled, seeing as how hobbits are usually ignored in things like this. But then Mahado told him that it was about the Ring, and Yugi understood perfectly, since he was the Ring Barer. When he had found this out, he felt both relieved and disappointed. On one hand, this meant that he was in no sort of trouble, but on the other, it meant that he was of no importance than to bring the Ring. This lowered Yugi's spirits.

As he climbed the last marble stair, he looked around. Multi-colored trees surrounded the meeting grounds, as well as Elvin homes. As for the meeting place itself, it was a round, stone platform. On the far side of the platform, a king's throne chair sat surrounded by stone archways. In a half-moon circle, other less comfortable chairs were placed. In the middle of the platform, a low stone table sat.

There were already some participators of the meeting there, too. Yugi observed the faces, recognizing a few. He saw Mahado on the farthest side, talking deeply with Elrond. He saw some other short people with long, untidy beards grouped up and talking next to him. '_Those must be dwarfs!_' Yugi thought excitedly. He had never seen a dwarf before. With the dwarfs was another boy, maybe a little older than Yugi, talking. He had blond hair, and dressed in brown armor. On his head was a strange skull, and in his hand was a giant axe. Yugi thought the skull on his head made him look a little strange, but he did not say anything. Standing near Elrond (Mahado had gone elsewhere), was the elf that had saved his life by taking him to Rivendell, Critiàsa. And sitting in the chair farthest away from anyone else, sat Strider.

But then someone there caught his eye, and Yugi gasped in sheer amazement at him. There, standing next to Mahado, was a man that looked just like Yugi. He had the same hair, with only a few extra golden bangs flowing with his hair. His height was the same, too, and he had the same violet eyes. Maybe the only differences were that he seemed to have sharper features, as well as the same tan skin as Mahado. He was covered in gold, with an upside down pyramid hanging around his neck.

Yugi couldn't stand there, just looking at a person who seemed to be his twin, so he ran over to him and Mahado quickly, bumping through people in the process. Mahado saw him approaching, and brightened.

"Ah, Yugi! You made it!" He said cheerily. Yugi stopped in front of his "twin" and stared at him. "Yugi, I'd like you to meet the king of my country, Pharaoh Atem. My King, the hobbit, Yugi," Mahado introduced them both. Atem and Yugi both stared at each other in shock. Neither had expected to meet another person that looked like themselves. Finally, though, Atem regained his composure, since he was Pharaoh, and turned to Mahado.

"Mahado . . . explain," He commanded in a deep voice, yet it sounded like Yugi's, too. Mahado nodded.

"Well, Pharaoh, didn't I tell you that Sugoroku's grandson looked like you?" Mahado reminded him.

"Yes, but I never thought that you meant it literally," Atem gasped. Then they both smiled at each other. Yugi held out his hand to shake Atem's.

"I have to say, this is kind of awkward meeting you, Pharaoh Atem, but all in all, I'm pleased to meet you," He said cheerfully. Atem smiled, but looked down at Yugi's hand hesitantly. Yugi paused, realizing the problem. He quickly pulled his hand back. "I'm sorry. I'm not used to meeting royalty like you everyday . . ." Then he gave Atem a low bow. Atem nodded in approval.

"I'm pleased to meet you too, Yugi Mutou. Actually, I've heard many things about you. Mahado is a great friend," He replied, "You are right, though. It is strange to meet a person, or in this case hobbit, that has almost identical features."

"Pharaoh, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but the meeting is to start shortly . . ." Mahado quietly interrupted. Atem nodded and walked over to a seat on the left. Mahado and Yugi followed.

"Why didn't you tell me that Atem was coming?" Yugi demanded to Mahado behind Atem's back. Mahado glanced at Yugi, and then took a seat next to Atem. Yugi sat next to him.

"I did not know, either, Yugi. He has taken surprise to all of us," Mahado quietly replied. Yugi was about to reply, when all of the other guests started to move around and sit down in a chair. Yugi's attention separated, and he paid attention to the other people, dwarfs, and elves. When everyone was seated, Elrond stood up from his high chair.

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, you have been summoned here to answer the threat of Helmosore," Yugi listened as Elrond greeted those sitting around him, "Middle Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite, or you will fall." Yugi looked over at Atem, only to find him starting at someone else in shock on the other side of the platform. "Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom . . ." Yugi looked back at Elrond and found the Elf King looking back at him, "Bring forth the Ring, Yugi," He gestured his hand at the table in the middle. Yugi slowly got up and walked over to the stone table. He put his hand in his chest pocket, pulled out the Ring, and regretfully put it on the table. Then he went back to his seat. He heard murmurs and gasps as everyone stared at the Ring in horror. One man, who had long, brown hair, spoke loud enough to be heard saying, "So it is true . . ."

Everyone got quiet while staring at the Ring. It was as if they were spellbound to it. Then, the same man with brown hair spoke up, "It is a gift . . ." He stood up and started preaching the others, "A gift to the followers of Helmosore," Mahado glared at the man suspiciously as he spoke, "Why not use this Ring? Long has my father, the steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Helmosore at bay. By the blood of our people, your lands stay safe!" He said with pride, "Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy! Let us use it against him!"

Strider, over in the corner, rolled his eyes. "You can't wield it!" He spoke up. The others turned to look at him. The man standing turned on his heel and glared at him, "None of us can! The one Ring answers to Bakura alone. It has no other master!"

"And what," the man said with spite, "Would a _Ranger_ know of this matter?"

Yugi was surprised when Atem suddenly stood up at this remark. "This is no mere Ranger!" He yelled, "He is Seto Kaiba, destined King of Gondor! You owe him your allegiance, Boromir!" The man, Boromir, stood there in shock, as well as the others around him. Yugi, too, was surprised. Strider, the loner who wandered through forests and over mountains, was really a royal king?

Seto lowered his head in forfeit. Now his secret was out, and everyone knew his name.

"Kaiba . . . ? This is Isildur's heir?" Boromir gasped in awe. Seto looked up at Boromir and glared at him, as if daring him to make a challenge.

"You heard me," Atem continued on defiantly, "The heir to the throne of Gondor – "

"_Sit down, Atem!_" Seto broke Atem off in the elf language. Atem stood there for a moment longer, and then sat back down next to Mahado. Boromir, who was still standing up, continued to rage over the argument.

"Gondor has no king," He said at last, and then walked over to his chair, "Gondor needs no king." He glared at Seto, and Seto glared back.

Then Mahado spoke up, "Seto is right. We can not use it . . ." Elrond joined in.

"You have only one choice . . . The Ring must be destroyed," Elrond broke the hopes of everyone around him. Boromir looked at the floor in disappointed defeat. Yugi heard a whisper in his head, and he looked at the Ring. It seemed to be calling out to him, but Yugi knew that he could not get up.

Then the boy with blond hair and the skull hat stood up, "Well, then, what are we waitin' for?" He asked in a strange accent. He grabbed his axe and ran toward the table. With powerful strength, he flung his weapon onto the Ring. The blow would have surely destroyed any other ring, but this was the One Ring that was being dealt with. As soon as the axe tip hit the Ring, it was immediately blocked by a black barrier of flame. The fire spread onto the boy's axe, and he had to let go of it for the safety of his own skin. The axe desintegrated in an instant, and the blond-haired boy was then flung back five feet by an invisible force. The dwarfs all ran to his aid to check if he was alright, while everyone else was gasping in horror.

The blow on the Ring, though, did not affect anyone more strongly than Yugi. As soon as the axe hit the flame barrier, he saw the eye covered in flame once again for a split second, and then an outrageous headache. He put his hand to his head as he suffered in pain. Mahado looked over to Yugi worriedly.

When Yugi was able to see, for the pain in his head was making his vision go blurry, he looked over to see if the Ring had been destroyed. But it hadn't been. A pile of ash that was the axe was all around it, but the Ring itself was still fully intact, without a scratch. The others around him gasped at the sight, too.

"Fool! The Ring can not be destroyed, Katsuya Jonouchi, by any craft that we here possess. Don't you know?" Elrond yelled at Jonouchi as he slowly stood up, "The Ring possesses the most powerful Ka in the world! Any harm brought to the Ring will be stopped by the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, and I assure you that blocking our attempts to destroy it does not take up much of its power! Where do you think the black flames came from?" Jonouchi stared at the floor in shame, and then sat back down in his chair.

"The Ring was made in the fires of Mt. Doom," Elrond continued, "The Ka's one power is also its one weakness. Only there can it be defeated and destroyed . . ." Yugi stared painfully at the Ring, hearing those whispers again in his head. "It must be taken deep into Helmosore and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this . . ."

There was silence after this last statement, no one daring to take on such a horrible task. "One does not simply walk into Helmosore . . ." Boromir murmured in fear, "Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just Selendrills. There is evil there that does not sleep . . . the Great Eye . . . is ever watchful. 'Tis a baron wasteland, made from fire, and ash, and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with 10,000 men could you do this! It is suicide!"

Once again, Atem spoke up against Boromir, "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond just said? The Ring must be destroyed!" He spoke out to everyone. Jonouchi defied him.

"An' I suppose _you_ think you're the one ta do it?" Atem glared back at him.

"That is no way to speak to your superior Pharaoh!" He shot back. Jonouchi glared back at him. Then Boromir stood up.

"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Bakura takes back what is his?" He joined into the argument. Jonouchi stood up, too.

"I'll be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Egyptian Pharaoh!" He yelled. And with that, everyone in the council stood up and started to protest. It was like a madhouse, with everyone raising their voices to be heard. The dwarfs and the elves yelled at each other, while the others just argued. That is, all but Mahado, Yugi, and Seto. Mahado shook his head at their stubbornness, even the Pharaoh, while Seto rolled his eyes. Yugi was just staring at the Ring, unaware of everything else around him. It seemed to be saying '_You are the one . . ._' Then the deep voice started to chant a spell of some kind, and Yugi saw the Ring become surrounded by an invisible fire. When Yugi couldn't take it anymore, he closed his eyes and came to a decision. He stood up and yelled at the top of his lungs.

"I WILL TAKE IT!" But his voice wasn't loud enough, so he yelled it again, "I WILL TAKE IT!" This time, Mahado heard him, and he closed his eyes to calm himself. Of all the people in the world, it had to be Yugi that volunteered to take the Ring into Helmosore. After about a minute of yelling at everyone, pleading them to stop, they all became quiet and looked at Yugi. Slowly, Mahado looked at Yugi. He stood there firmly and with confidence.

"I will take the Ring to Helmosore," He announced. Everyone stared at him in disbelief. Jonouchi looked at him as if Yugi were his hero. Atem nodded in approval and pride at Yugi, feeling as if he were his brother. Seto just stared at Yugi curiously.

"Though . . . I don't know the way," Yugi admitted. Mahado smiled weakly. He walked over to Yugi and put his hand on his shoulder.

"I will help you though all of your dark times, Yugi. You can count on me," He vowed. Yugi looked up at him gratefully.

Seto then stood up. "As much as I hate this, I'll say it. If there's anyone who can show you the way and add to protection, that's me. I'm coming," And he walked over to Yugi's side and challenged anyone else to defy him, "You have my sword, Yugi."

Atem smiled and also walked over to Yugi. "And you have my bow and magic," He added. Yugi looked especially happy to see Atem joining his forces.

Jonouchi also joined them. "I have ta admit it, Yugi. I've only known ya for five seconds, and already I like ya. You can count on me, too! You have the power of my dominatin' axe!"

But then the most surprising person walked over to Yugi's side. It was Boromir. "You carry the fate of us all, little one. . . . If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done." Yugi smiled at him weakly.

"Hey!" A female voice suddenly called. Everyone looked at Critiàsa, but she was looking in the direction of the bushes. Suddenly, Anzu popped out of the bushes and ran over to Yugi's side. "Yugi's not going anywhere without me!" She announced. Everyone stared at her.

"Now indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you two, even when he summoned to a secret council, and you are not," Elrond teasingly pointed out. Anzu blushed. Then they heard two other voices, this time male.

"Hey, we're coming, too!" Otogi and Hiroto yelled, almost knocking Jonouchi off of his feet. By now, everyone was laughing at their stubbornness. "You'll have to send us both away tied up in a sack to stop us from coming!" Yugi, by now, was surprised, yet overjoyed by their arrival. His face was pure glee, and he was laughing.

"Yeah! Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of question . . . no, quest . . . thing . . ." Hiroto put in. Mahado chuckled when he said this. Otogi shook his head.

"Well, that rules you out, Honda," He told him. Hiroto looked thankfully at Otogi, then back at Elrond, and then back at Otogi in annoyance, since he just got the joke.

"Nine companions . . ." Elrond mumbled to himself, "So be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring," He announced. Otogi and Hiroto looked at each other happily, having no idea about what they were getting themselves into.

And that's literally true. "Right," Hiroto said, "Where are we going?" Everyone groaned.

**Lol. The end's pretty funny. Hope you liked it! R&R, but no flames please?**


	24. Gifts From Sugoroku

**Author's Note:** I'm getting a new laptop! Now I'll be able to type anywhere I go, as well as play movies (my old one doesn't for some reason)! Hooray for me . . . Anyway, Hydro-Wolf and Angel Gunner Lenne, thank-you for your comments, and "Sasha", thank-you for your comment in chapter 3. Not sure if you'll read this on time, but whatever. As for the story, I hate this chapter. For me, it's kind of boring . . . and Bilbo/Sugoroku freaks me out. Oh, well. You might think differently. Enjoy!

P.S. – Sorry for any mistakes in spelling!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 25: Gifts From Sugoroku

At the front gate of Rivendell, members of the Fellowship were starting to gather for the long journey. Jonouchi, Boromir, Hiroto, Otogi, Anzu, and the pony, Draconia, were standing there waiting for the other members. As they waited, Otogi prepared Draconia's saddle with supplies and food. Then they heard footsteps behind them and everyone turned around to see who it was. Anzu was the first to notice that it was Mahado and Atem. All of the hobbits waved at them both, while the others nodded in acknowledgement. Now there were only two more members left to come.

* * *

"My own sword," Sugoroku told Yugi as he pulled out an object wrapped thickly in a brown cloth. Yugi, who was standing next to him in Sugoroku's bedroom, gasped when he saw the sword his grandfather was unwrapping. "Here, take it, take it!" He told Yugi enthusiastically, handing him the hilt of the sheathed sword.

Yugi pulled the blade out of its cover and examined it. Sugoroku's sword had very fine handiwork, with a brown leather handle and what appeared to be stainless steel for the blade. Engraved on the blade were markings of the Elvin language. "It's so light . . ." Yugi gasped. He smiled at his grandfather as he said it, who looked positively overjoyed at the moment.

"Yes, yes . . . made by the elves, you know," Sugoroku informed him. He gestured to the writings on the blade, and Yugi nodded. Then he said darkly, "The blade glows blue when Selendrills are close. And its times like that, Yugi, when you have to be extra careful." Yugi looked a little frightened at this, not yet knowing what a Selendrill looked like, but knew that they were evil and dangerous. He sheathed the sword and put it aside for the moment.

"Oh, now, here's something you'll like . . ." He picked up what looked like a shirt made out of silvery metal. "Neethrill," Sugoroku told the mystified Yugi, "It's as light as a feather, yet as hard as dragon scales. Let me see you put it on." As Yugi took off his vest and put it on the bed, the Ring accidentally fell out of the chest pocket, and Sugoroku faltered. Yugi looked up and saw his grandfather staring wide-eyed at the Ring.

"M-m-my old ring . . ." He whispered. Yugi stood there and suspiciously watched Sugoroku's actions. His face had started to sweat, and his hands were shaking, twitching toward the Ring. "I-I w-would very much like to hold it again . . . one last time."

Yugi quickly made a grab at the Ring and held it tightly in his hand. Sugoroku's eyes followed it all of the way, his eyes giving off an evil red glare in the process. Yugi was fearful of his grandfather now, not sure what he should do. Then, as soon as he started to back away, Sugoroku's features changed completely. His face was no longer old and sweet, but evil and full of menace. His eyes grew round and large, the pupils looking like a cat's. His teeth turned pointy and sharp, and his tongue looked like a snake's. His wrinkled skin bunched up even more than usual, too. Sugoroku's hands also changed, turning into what looked like skinny, ragged bones, and the fingernails, sharp and deadly. He uttered a fierce yowl that was unearthly and deep. Yugi backed away to the wall and screamed in fear. He held the Ring so tightly in his hand, his fingernails started to make bloody half-moon crescents. But then, as quickly as Sugoroku changed, he became himself again.

Sugoroku fell to the floor, twitching and moaning in agony. Yugi realized that his grandfather was back, and he quickly ran to his side. "Grandpa!" He yelled, falling down on the floor to look at his grandfather. But as soon as he touched him, Sugoroku pulled his hands up to hide his face from Yugi's sight. He started to cry, too. Yugi, by now, was deathly worried and used all of his strength to pull Sugoroku's hands down to his side. Yugi was relieved to find his face just as it had been minutes ago, and not demon-like. "Grandpa, it's okay, I'm here. There's nothing to be afraid of . . ." Yugi comforted him as Sugoroku continued to cry and moan. At the sound of Yugi's voice, Sugoroku seemed to wake up and his eyes gleamed into Yugi's.

"I-It's not only that I'm afraid, Yugi," Sugoroku mumbled, "It's that _you_ are also afraid of me . . ."

"No, Grandpa, it's not you," Yugi replied gently, holding his grandfather's hands, "It's the demon inside of you created by the Ring that I'm afraid of. And it's not fear of its appearance, but what it has pushed you to do in your gentle life. That's why I have to go, Grandpa. I have to go and destroy this ring so that all evil in this world will parish. And then, that demon will be gone, and you'll be a free hobbit again." Sugoroku seemed to lighten a bit at these words, but continued to moan.

"I-I'm sorry that I have brought this upon you, my boy . . . I'm sorry for everything!"

"It's not your fault, Grandpa . . ."

* * *

By the time that Yugi joined the others, everyone was at the front gate waiting. At the sight of him coming down the steps to join them, all of the hobbits cheered in glee. Now they could leave and begin the long journey ahead.

When Yugi reached them, he saw some impatient faces staring at him. He suddenly felt guilty. Comforting Sugoroku into his normal self again had taken a while.

"Sorry, guys. Grandpa was just giving me a couple supplies and as telling me about the road ahead," Yugi told them all.

"And this took you _two hours_ to do?" Seto sarcastically asked. The sun was already up by now. All of them had lost some valuable time.

"Uh . . . yeah. I said I was sorry," Yugi hesitantly replied. By now, he had recovered from Sugoroku's little incident, and was eager to start traveling again.

"It doesn't matter now," Atem put in. Mahado, standing right beside him, nodded in agreement. "We need to head out, but Elrond told me that we were to be formally dismissed. That means we still have to wait."

"That is not necessary, Pharaoh Atem," A voice behind them all said. Everyone turned to see Elrond, his daughter, Critiàsa, and more elves standing there. "We are here now, and we still plan on giving you all a blessing before you depart," He walked forward until he was a foot away from Yugi. Critiàsa and another elf followed. "Now, for my words of warning: The Ring Barer is setting out on a quest to Mt. Doom. On you, who travel with him, no oath, nor bond, is laid to go further that you will. Travel with honor and care. Remember, the fate of Middle Earth, and perhaps the world, rests on your shoulders . . ." Elrond then clapped his hands together and then slowly pulled them apart. As his hands separated, everyone suddenly felt their strength rise fully. They were now all fit and ready for their journey. "Good luck," Elrond finished. Then all of the elves said something in Elvin.

The Fellowship nodded, and then one by one, exited Rivendell. Yugi was first, followed by Mahado, and then Atem. Jonouchi and Boromir followed Atem, and then Hiroto, Otogi, and Anzu, who was guiding Draconia. Seto brought up the rear. But almost as soon as he started to walk, he heard a faint roar in the back of his head. Immediately, he knew that it was the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Seto looked back at Critiàsa, who was still standing there. All of the other elves had left, but she had stayed to watch them all safely leave Rivendell. She smiled and bowed her head to him. Then she turned and followed her father. Seto continued to stand there for a moment, but then continued to follow the others.

**I didn't even look at Bilbo's face when I wrote that. It just gives me the creeps . . . Anyway, hope you enjoyed! R&R, but no flames please?**


	25. The Journey Begins

**Author's Note:** Yet another chapter updated. I hope you enjoy it! . . . My goodness, this story's going to be finished before school starts! I guess it's because I update almost everyday. But, hey, I like to write! I look forward to it everyday! Btw, Isis the Sphinx, Angel Gunner Lenne, and Hydro-Wolf, thanks for your reviews. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 26: The Journey Begins

The sun was emitting a golden glow as the Fellowship crossed the bridge that led out of Rivendell's territory. Now Mahado was in front of the group, leading the way to Helmosore. Farther and farther away they traveled, each step taking them closer to the unknown. Yugi looked longingly back at the elf city as the last traces of it disappeared from his sight. Now there was nothing left to do but continue on.

For days they traveled. They saw many ruins and historic battle fields on the way as they traveled. Crossing plains, moorlands, small mountains, and more, the Fellowship's pace never faltered. They would start their day at five in the morning, quickly eat breakfast, and then head out on their journey. Sometimes they would need to stop for a while so that Mahado could regain his sense of direction. Then, when it started to get dark, they would find a camping ground fit enough to stop for the night. All of them would eat their dinner, and then do what ever they pleased, as long as it was appropriate. The hobbits would usually gather together and talk, maybe doing a little side activity in the process. Mahado and Atem would always join together and have conversations in low voices about Egypt. Jonouchi sometimes joined the hobbits in their activities, or otherwise practiced with his axe. Boromir usually practiced with his sword near the others. And Seto always found a spot farthest away from everyone else, staring at the sky.

On one particular afternoon, the Fellowship stopped at a rock-covered hill for a rest to have lunch while Mahado looked for a way to travel. Mahado and Yugi both sat on the highest rock, watching the others. Anzu was a rock below them, cooking sausages for the group. Boromir was with Otogi and Hiroto, teaching them how to wield a sword. They all scrambled around the earth floor, creating sounds of metal hitting metal as they practiced. Jonouchi sat right behind Boromir, cleaning his axe. Seto sat nearby, as well, watching the three "battle". Atem, Mahado noticed, was farthest away, writing with a quill pen on a scratch sheet of papyrus.

"Mahado?" Yugi suddenly asked.

"Hmm?" Mahado turned his head to Yugi.

"Where exactly are we going? I mean, I know we're going to Helmosore, but what are we going to go through to get there?" Yugi asked.

"Well . . . we must hold this course west of the Misty Mountains for forty days, first of all . . ." Mahado began.

"Forty days? That's a long time!" Yugi exclaimed.

"Well, what did you expect?" Mahado teasingly asked, "It's the world we're dealing with here, after all. Did you expect it to be small?"

"Well, no, but –"

"Let me continue. If our luck holds, the entrance of Rohan will still be open to us. From there, our road turns east, to Helmosore . . ."

"What's Rohan like?" Yugi asked.

"Lots of hills and plains. It's known as the home of the horses because they like to run in those fields. Rohan has _many_ horses," Mahado replied.

"Oh . . . that sounds interesting," Yugi commented. Mahado nodded. Anzu then started to take a fork and put the finished sausages onto plates.

"Lunch is ready!" She called.

"Oh, great! I'm starvin'!" Jonouchi cried. Atem chuckled.

"You're always starving, Jonouchi," He added. Jonouchi laughed.

"True," He replied cheerfully. Anzu then started to hand out plates with two sausages each on them. She gave the first to Yugi and Mahado, then Atem, and then the others. She just placed Boromir's, Otogi's, and Hiroto's plates on the ground, though, as they were still training.

"1, 2, 3!" Boromir was saying as he faintly swung his sword at the two hobbits, "Good! Very good!" He told them as they both blocked the attacks. He proceeded on Hiroto, who successfully blocked the blows. As he blocked, Jonouchi watched him and commented on his motives.

"Move your feet, Hiroto. You look like a statue standin' there!" Hiroto then tried to progress on that.

"Nice footwork, Hiroto!" Otogi commented after a while.

"Thanks!" He replied. Boromir then turned to Otogi and swung at him. Otogi blocked the blows, and even progressed with making some of his own. Boromir blocked them, though. Anzu and Yugi both watched them. Then they looked at each other and shook their heads. Suddenly, Jonouchi stood up and ran over to them.

"Hey, just thought I'd ask a question. If anyone would ask for my opinion, which they're _not_, I'd say dat we're taking the _long_ way around, Mahado. Ya know, we could pass through the mines of Moria," Jonouchi suggested. At the sound of Moria, Mahado's face darkened and his muscles tightened. "My cousin would give us a _royal_ welcome."

Mahado shook his head, "No, Jonouchi. First of all, just because you were raised by dwarfs doesn't mean that you are one. So that means that your cousin _isn't_ your cousin, leading to the fact that we might not get a royal welcome. And second, I would not take the road to Moria unless I had no other choice . . ." As he spoke, Jonouchi's composure loosened. By the time Mahado was finished, his back was slumped, and his hands were dangling loosely in disappointment.

"You were raised by dwarfs, Jonouchi?" Yugi asked surprisingly. Jonouchi nodded.

"Yeah, my parents left me in front of the gates of Moria when I was an infant," He replied. Yugi gasped.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know . . ." Yugi began, but Jonouchi put his hand up to stop him.

"'S all right, really. Hey, the nice thing about dwarfs is day never run out of food," He teased. Yugi laughed at that.

Suddenly, Atem raised his head from his script sharply. He looked into the distance, narrowing his eyes to see farther. He then murmured an Egyptian spell that allowed him to see clearer. Mahado noticed his Pharaoh's behavior and followed his gaze. What he saw did not appeal to him. In the distance, he saw what appeared to be a big, black cloud steadily coming closer to them.

While this was going on, the practice fight between Boromir, Hiroto, and Otogi was still going on. Boromir had accidentally slipped his sword down Hiroto's and cut his hand. Hiroto dropped his sword, screamed out, and started to shake his hand. Boromir dropped his sword, too, and immediately started apologizing. But before he could get more than "Sorry" out of his mouth, Hiroto ran forward and kicked Boromir in the leg. Boromir then cried out and dropped to his knees. Otogi ran forward, as well, and kicked Boromir in the thigh. Before anyone knew it, all three of them were rolling on the ground in a play fight. As they rolled around, feet and hands flying everywhere, they almost hit Seto. He jumped back and growled.

"Hey, watch it, you fools!" He yelled at them. Jonouchi also noticed the fight and laughed.

"Hey, it's the attack of the little men!" He commented. After a moment, all three of them stopped and laughed on the ground.

Mahado, Yugi, Anzu, Atem, and Jonouchi then continued to study the black cloud. Was it just them, or was it starting to separate into smaller pieces?

"W-what is that?" Anzu stuttered, fear rising in her throat.

"Nothin', it's just a wisp if cloud!" Jonouchi observed. Boromir stood up and also looked at the black cloud.

"It's moving fast . . ." He said, "Think it's the wind?" Atem's magically enforced eyes then widened.

"That's no cloud, guys! I think those are Dartz' birds!" Everyone gasped. Then they all stood up and started to run around.

"Hide!" Seto yelled. He ran over to the place where he put his stuff and gathered it. "Anzu, put out that fire!" He commanded. She quickly ran to the cooking fire and splashed water onto it. Then she put dirt on top of the burnt wood. "Get everything out of sight!" Seto continued. The hobbits gathered their possessions. Boromir grabbed all of the weaponry and hid under a bush. Jonouchi grabbed his axe and hid under a big boulder. Atem gathered his papers and ink and quickly ran behind another rock, Mahado shortly joining him. Otogi, Hiroto, Anzu, and Yugi all hid under a cave-like rock, and Seto forced himself into a rock that had a crack in it.

All of them stayed still while the black birds flew by, cawing and screaming all of the way. It was a strange sight to see, a flock of hundreds of birds circling their hiding place for a minute, and then moving on. When they could no longer hear the birds, all of them crawled out of their hiding places.

"Mahado!" Yugi called as he stood up, "What was that?"

"Spies of Dartz . . ." He replied, "The passage south is being watched," Everyone was crowding around Mahado as he decided where to go. Then he seemed to make up his mind as he nodded to himself, "We must take the pass of Caradhras!" He looked up at a snowy mountain far away in the distance.

**I found the play fight a bit disturbing. Lol. Well, there you have it! R&R, but no flames please?**


	26. An Interception from Dartz

**Author's Note:** Just as a little note, I've read a lot of good fan fictions lately. I've enjoyed them all, and have a sudden feeling to encourage you all to continue writing! OK, I'm done with my "goody-two-shoes" quote. Isis the Sphinx and Angel Gunner Lenne, thanks for your comments! Another chapter completed! Everything's moving quickly now, so enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 27: An Interception from Dartz

By the next couple of days, the Fellowship was half-way through the pass of Caradhras. As they climbed up the snowy mountain, it got harder to breathe due to elevation. The higher they climbed, the less oxygen there was to breathe. Not to mention that everywhere they looked, a thick blanket of snow covered all the rocks of the mountain. Each day, they all grew weaker.

Yugi, most of all, felt the lack of strength in his muscles. After a while, he was almost unable to keep up with the Fellowship's pace and nearly fell all the way to the back of the group. The cold wind burned his face as he moved forward, and the snow beneath his bare feet made him go numb. As he climbed, his hands flayed everywhere to keep his balance. But soon, he was unable to walk any further, and groaned loudly as he tumbled down the steep hill, head first. Summersault after summersault, Yugi found himself getting dizzy as his head touched the freezing snow every second.

Just when Yugi thought he could take no more, he felt his body suddenly halt against something else. Yugi groaned at his spinning, hurting head. The snow burned into his skin as he lay there. Then Yugi felt two firm hands grab the back of his traveling cloak and pulled him to his feet. Yugi stood there, swaying for a moment, not sure of what just happened. Then he looked up at the person who had helped him stop and realized that it was Seto. Then he looked around at the others and found that all eyes were upon him. Mahado, who was in front of the group, was starring the most contently, making sure that he wasn't hurt.

Yugi whipped the snow off of himself hurriedly, trying not to grab more attention. Then he realized that something was missing around his neck. It was the Ring. Yugi gasped, and then hurriedly searched all around him, patting his pockets, shirts, jackets, and bags for a sign. When he found that it wasn't on him, he looked at the snow around him. Yugi caught a shining glimpse a little above him and saw that it was the Ring. But just when he had started to run for it, another hand had picked it up.

It was Boromir.

Boromir stood there in silence, staring at the Ring in awe. He made no motion to give it back to Yugi. All he did was stand and stare. Mahado realized that something was wrong, and he slowly walked toward Boromir and the Ring. The rest of the Fellowship stood there and watched the events taking place.

When Boromir made no motion, Seto grew impatient. Loud enough for Boromir to hear from the distance, he tried to wake him out of his reverie, "Boromir . . ." Still, Boromir took no notice of anything around him. All he did was stare at the Ring. But then he suddenly spoke.

"It is a strange fate that we should all suffer such fear and doubt . . . over so small a thing," He murmured, just loud enough for the ones closest to him to hear. He stared open-mouthed at the Ring now. "Such a little thing . . ." He pulled his hand up to touch it. Slowly, it grew nearer to the Ring, and Yugi felt a strange pull at his heart.

"Boromir!" Seto yelled. Boromir immediately snapped out of his trance and looked at him. He had a confused look on his face. "Give the Ring to Yugi," He commanded. Boromir looked at Yugi and saw the wanting in his eyes, yet a look of a child, as well. He could tell that Yugi was longing for the Ring in Boromir's hands at that moment, yet fighting with himself not to. Then Boromir started to step forward, his hand outstretched to Yugi. Making sure that no one noticed, Seto moved his hand to the hilt of his sword. Boromir was acting too strange to be trusted at the moment.

"As you wish," Boromir said. He held the Ring out to Yugi, and Yugi snatched it back in a flash. Boromir smiled. "I care not . . ." He looked into Seto's cold, glaring eyes, and then back at Yugi. Then he laughed and ruffled Yugi's hair. Yugi looked disgusted at the touch, but Boromir seemed not to notice. He swung his shield onto his back, and continued to walk, nearly slamming into Mahado, who was a few feet away from him. Seto, still glaring, released his hand from his sword.

* * *

Black birds flew everywhere in the wasteland of Isengard. Down they dived, into the holes in the ground. Flying through tunnels, caverns, and around Selendrills, they seemed to be heading toward a certain destination. Then, flying into a large, open space, in the caves, they circled around a man with aquamarine hair who was wearing white robes. They cawed loud at him, and the man raised his head at their arrival. 

Dartz listened to what his spies had to say intently. Standing there for a second, he decided what to do. He turned around and started to head for his tower. Murmuring to himself, he said, "So, Mahado, you try to lead them over Caradhras. And if that fails, where then will you go? If the mountain defeats you, will you risk a more dangerous road?" He then laughed hysterically.

* * *

The Fellowship was almost through the pass of Caradhras. Now they were fighting an unbearably cold snow storm, nearly at the top of the mountain. The snow was knee-deep, and everyone's faces were stinging from the wind. Not to mention, the amount of oxygen that was available. 

Mahado used his wooden staff to pierce through the snow and help create a path. He and Atem also used their magic to create a barrier to stop some snow particles from touching them. But that didn't mean that they were safe.

Some of the hobbits were, by now, out of energy, and had to be carried along the mountain's edge. Jonouchi carried Hiroto and Otogi, while Atem helped Anzu through. Mahado guided Yugi through the storm. Seto guided his pony, Draconia.

Atem suddenly walked faster, taking Anzu with him. He stopped a ways in front of Mahado and used another Egyptian spell to enforce his ears' hearing.

"Pharaoh Atem, what are you doing?" Anzu yelled over the wind's howl. He turned to her.

"I think I hear something!" He replied. Everyone behind them stopped and waited for Atem to do something, but he just stood there and listened to the wind. "There is a faint voice in the air!" He told the Fellowship.

Mahado also increased his hearing and listened. Then he gasped. He heard a deep voice blowing with the wind, chanting a spell. "IT'S DARTZ!" He yelled with all of his vocal power.

Suddenly, there was a loud cracking noise above them. Everyone looked up and saw large, frozen pieces of ice starting to crumble from the top of the mountain. Then there was a crack of thunder in the air. The rocks fell from the top, aiming in their direction below. Everyone backed up to the edge of the mountain almost just in time, as the frozen rocks crashed down hard on where they had just been standing. Then they continued to tumble down the mountain.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain!" Seto yelled. Mahado turned to him. "Mahado, we must turn back!" Mahado shook his head in defiance.

"No!" He replied. He stood up as more chanting winds blew on their faces. Mahado raised his staff and started to yell a series of Egyptian spells that would stop Dartz. But it appeared to not work as a flash of white lightning hit the top of the mountain. More frozen boulders of ice were let loose, only this time, they were bigger. They fell down at high speed, aiming for the people below. Mahado chanted one last spell to make the ice snow, and then ducked for cover. Atem's and Mahado's barrier held for just one moment, and then shattered at the enormous weight. The snow tumbled down on the group, and all of them ducked as Mahado had done. Heavier and heavier the snow became on them. But just when they thought that they were going to be crushed, it stopped.

Slowly, the Fellowship poked their heads and hands out from under the blanket of snow, one by one. First it was Atem, and then Yugi and Jonouchi, who seemed to growl like a dog as he reached the surface. Seto emerged next, and then Mahado and Boromir. All of the hobbits needed top be helped and dug out, since their legs were not strong enough. Draconia emerged last. However, no one was able to pull themselves up more than the upper half of their body.

"We must get off of the mountain!" Boromir yelled at Mahado, who was shaking snow off of his bare arms. "We'll make for the gap of Rohan, and take the west road to the Mine City!"

"The gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Seto objected. Then Jonouchi brightened.

"We can't pass over the mountain. Mahado, let us go under it!" Mahado's face darkened again. "Let's go through the mines of Moria. I assure you dat we'll be welcomed!" Jonouchi insisted. Mahado's mind then seemed to go somewhere else as he remembered a memory.

(_Flashback_)

"Moria," Dartz told Mahado on an occasion, "You fear to go into those mines. The dwarfs dug it too greedily and too deep . . ." As he said it, he flipped though a book that told of the mines of Moria, "You know of what they awoke in the darkness . . . Shadow and flame . . . the Tyrant Dragon . . ."

Mahado flinched.

(_End Flashback_)

"Let the Ring Barer decide," Mahado clearly announced. Yugi looked up surprisingly. Yugi looked around for support. He looked to Anzu, but she just sat there in the snow, gazing at Yugi. "Yugi?" Mahado pressed. Yugi looked back at Mahado and decided.

"We will go through the mines," He said. Mahado lowered his head and sighed. Then he looked up and set his face determinately.

"So be it . . ."

**That turned out longer than I expected. Also, I forgot to put this at the beginning: If you haven't noticed, I added another sentence to my summary. Otherwise, that's all for today! R&R, but no flames please?**


	27. The Water Dragon Strikes

**Author's Note:** So many reviews lately! Wow! First of all, a thanks to Hydro-Wolf, cheeky-eyes, Isis the Sphinx, Angel Gunner Lenne, and Lara Chubb of Deephollow for your comments! So many in a day! And also, it's official that I'm getting a brand new, high-tech laptop! This means that I'll be able to type anywhere I go from now on! My old laptop's disc reader doesn't work, so I can't play movies, which means I can't watch LOTR. But my new laptop will. So, when I go to Colorado, I'll be able to update. What a relief . . . Otherwise, Moria! Enjoy!

P.S. – Sorry for any spelling mistakes!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 28: The Water Dragon Strikes

After backtracking through Caradhras, the Fellowship crossed though a series of landscapes. First, there were the plains they had been crossing days before, then a large lake surrounded by swampy mud, and then the bottom of a large mountain. Now, the travelers were directly beside that mountain, with its black rocks and dark lakes.

As they traveled up the rocky slope that led to the gate of Moria, evidence of civilization could be seen. There were first some thrown away tools and food, then a smooth pathway walked over for many years, and then the aged and broken pieces of rock carved out of the mountain itself. A thick coat of fog hung over the entire area.

As the Fellowship rounded up on top of the rocky, steep hill, they saw a mountain ridge that was smooth. Jonouchi gasped at this site. He pointed to it eagerly, whispering, "The walls of Moria . . ." A black bridge led over a small lake that looked like it went very deep. They proceeded to cross it, one at a time.

When they were on the other side, they walked along the cliff walls that led to the doorway, careful not to touch the lake. But as Yugi walked along, he suddenly lost his balance. His foot slid down the edge and sank into the black water. At the touch of it, Yugi gasped and quickly pulled his foot back. The water was freezing cold, and Yugi could sense a disturbance in the lake. They rounded a curve in the walls and witnessed a bit of a change in scenery. Now there were trees growing in the lake, which had become smaller. Two small trees bordered a small part of the cliff walls.

Mahado walked directly up to that piece of bordered rock and started to rub his hand on it up and down. Everyone watched as he started to whisper something to himself. It sounded like a chant. Then Mahado smiled as he found an engraving in the rock. He blew rock dust off of it to look at it more closely and found his spirit rise a bit. He turned around, murmuring, "And the moonlight . . ." He lifted his hand into the air and, with his magic, revealed the moon from behind the clouds. The moon shined brightly onto the wall as Mahado moved his hand toward it.

Suddenly, the part of the rock that was bordered by the trees started to glow. Everyone had to turn their faces away from it because it was so bright. When the light dimmed, they looked again and found a series of patterns on the rock surface glow a white light. It looked like two columns that were wrapped in thick vines, baring a crest of some sort. On top of the archway, what looked like a language was written.

Mahado backed away happily and gazed upon his bit of handiwork. Most people gasped at the sight. Jonouchi was dumbstruck. He could not move a muscle as he stared at his "ancestors'" work. His eyes started to move to a place in front of the glowing door, then back at the door, and then back to the spot on the ground.

Mahado moved forward again, lifted his staff into the air, and pointed at the language on top. "It reads," Mahado told them, " 'The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak friend, and enter.' "

Otogi was confused, "Well, what do you suppose _that_ means?" He asked.

"Well, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you will speak the password, and the doors are open," Mahado replied, getting excited. He then stepped forward, placed his staff in the middle of the gateway, and spoke what appeared to be, "_Ab nohin velib. Elrôg diabé!_" As he said it, Jonouchi's mouth opened in gleeful awe. But when Mahado took his staff away, the doors did nothing but stay still. Mahado's face turned to puzzlement at this. He was sure he had gotten the password right. Jonouchi's face turned to disappointment.

Mahado went up to the doors and pushed as hard as he could on them, but still they wouldn't move. Yugi watched him, and then began to think of the thing Mahado had said about the gate. _'What if it's something much simpler then that?'_ Yugi thought to himself.

"Hmm . . . well, seeing as Mahado can't remember the password, I'll take my turn and leave. It was nice meeting you all," Seto grunted. Everyone turned in amazement as he started to walk off with Draconia by is side. But his words were not true, for all he did was travel a few distances away from everybody else and sit on a big rock.

* * *

The Fellowship had been sitting there for hours, listening to Mahado mutter incorrect passwords and phrases. Boromir sat alone, cleaning his weapons. Yugi and Atem were sitting next to Mahado, also trying to figure out the password. Yugi had always found himself good at puzzles, and tried to think to the best of his abilities on this one. Jonouchi sat with the other hobbits around him, telling them stories of his life with the dwarfs.

"You see dat spot that Yug has got his left foot on?" Jonouchi asked, pointing to the spot he had been glancing at earlier. The others nodded in unison. "Dat's the place my mom left me. I've been raised by the dwarfs ever since!" He claimed proudly. He puffed out his chest, and Anzu couldn't help but stifle a laugh. What a weird experience, hanging around all of these men!

"Really?" Otogi and Hiroto asked in awe. Jonouchi nodded.

"Of course, I didn't live my _whole_ life in Moria. I've lived in other dwarf mountain cities, too. But, when ol' Mahado figures out the password, I think I'll be able to give a few pointers. Sure has been a long time, though, since I've been in . . ."

"If you've lived in Mora before, how come you don't remember the password?" Anzu piped up.

"Like I said, it's been a while since I've been in," Jonouchi replied. He stared at the glowing door.

"Can you really read that stuff on the top?" Otogi asked.

"Sure can! And proud of it! But, like those three, I have no idea about what it means," Jonouchi trailed off into thought of the password, like Mahado, Atem, and Yugi.

Anzu looked over her shoulder and noticed that Seto was taking off Draconia's saddle and supplies. She stood up and ran over to him.

"Hey, just what do you think you're doing?" She asked defiantly. She had grown a bit close to Draconia over the long, traveling days. Seto glared at her, but continued to unpack the pony.

"Why do you care?" He asked.

"I just want to know, that's all. If you haven't noticed, Draconia's been carrying half of the weight of the journey!" She replied. Seto paused for a moment.

"When . . . or _if_ . . . Mahado figures out that blasted password, there's no telling what we're going to encounter. The Mines are no place for a pony. I'm going to let her go free," He told her. She looked taken aback. Once Draconia was free of all the weight, Seto removed the reins from her mouth and threw them aside. Anzu slowly walked up to Draconia and patted her muzzle.

"Good-bye, Draconia . . ." She whispered to her. Seto pushed Draconia around and slapped her thigh lightly, but the pony refused to move.

"Go on, Draconia," Seto told her. She seemed to understand and trotted off into the distance. He looked over at Anzu and saw the hurt on her face. "Stop your worrying. She knows the way out," He told her defiantly. She nodded and went back to her friends. Seto sat on the rock again and watched Draconia disappear from view.

Hiroto found himself getting bored of Jonouchi's stories. He looked around for something else to do. His eyes fell on some large rocks not a far distance away from his hand. He smiled and picked up a few. When no one was looking, he stood up and went to the edge of the lake. He gripped one of the stones hard, and then threw it into the lake as far as he could. The "splunk" made Otogi turn around and look at Hiroto. He saw what he was doing, smiled, and then grabbed some stones, too. Joining Hiroto, they both entered a "who can 'splunk' the hardest" contest. Soon, they were making a huge racket.

From his distance away from everyone, Seto looked over to see what was making the noise. When he saw what Otogi and Hiroto were doing, he grimaced, jumped off of the rock, and walked over to them. Just as Hiroto raised his hand to throw another rock into the lake, a firm hand caught his arm. He looked up to see Seto glaring down at him. He pushed Hiroto away from the water, whispering, "What do you think you're doing? How many times do I have to tell you to keep out of trouble?"

"What's the trouble of throwing rocks into a lake? Besides, I'm bored!" Hiroto protested. Otogi noticed that Hiroto wasn't playing anymore and walked over to his side.

"I don't care if you're burning! Don't disturb the water!" He yelled back at them. Then he retreated to his spot on the rock, leaving the two hobbits staring in shock at the retort.

Mahado couldn't think of anything else to say. He had tried every form of speaking 'friend' in the dwarf language, but nothing worked. He threw down his staff and sighed in defeat.

"Oh, it's useless . . ." Mahado mumbled as he sat down next to Yugi and Atem again.

Just when he thought he could get some peace and quiet, Seto noticed something different about the lake. There were faint waves rippling through the surface, but Hiroto and Otogi had stopped their games. So, if there was no external reason for the lake's waters to move, then what _was_ moving it? Boromir also noticed the disturbance and stared at it puzzlingly.

Suddenly, Yugi thought of something. He stood up sharply and gasped. "It's a riddle!" He exclaimed. Mahado and Atem looked up. " 'Speak friend, and enter' . . ." Yugi murmured. Then he turned to Mahado. "What's the elfish word for 'friend'?" Mahado gasped, too.

"_Bellog_" Mahado said. Suddenly, there was a huge crumbling noise and the doors of Moria slowly opened. Everyone turned to look at the rock split neatly in half and then fold outward to reveal a cave of darkness inside. Jonouchi was so surprised, he dropped his axe. Everyone quickly started to gather their things and assemble at the entrance. Mahado put a strange stone on top of his staff and proceeded to walk in. Everyone else followed him. But to make sure that they were not being attacked, Hiroto looked behind him before he entered.

As they walked into the pitch black darkness, Jonouchi excitedly walked up to Atem's side. "So, Mr. Pharaoh, you'll now enjoy the fatal hospitality of the dwarfs!" Atem glanced up at him in annoyance. "Roaring fires, molt beer, ripe meat off the bone!" With every addition, Atem's face grew more disgusted.

Mahado, not listening, murmured an Egyptian spell to the rock on top of his staff. The stone immediately light up to a bright, white light. Now he was able to see in the mines. But what he saw did not appeal to him.

"Dis, my friend, is the home of my "cousin", Bolig. And day call it a mine. A mine!" Jonouchi continued to exclaim. Boromir, who could also now see from the light, gasped.

"This is no mine," He told them all, "It's a tomb . . ." Yugi suddenly stepped on something hard. He gasped and looked down. What he was stepping on was the chest of a dwarf skeleton dressed in armor. Yugi immediately pulled back, his fellow hobbits joining him in screams and shrieks. Jonouchi could also see now, and looked around in horror. All around him, everywhere he looked, were the rotting bodies of dwarfs who had died in battle. It seemed like every rotten face was emitting a scream. They all had stabs, wounds, and arrows in their heads, mouths, eyes, chests, and legs. The sight was too unbearable to look at for Jonouchi. First he moaned quietly, then steadily grew louder.

"NO!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, falling to his knees. Tears were flowing from his eyes, "NO! NO! NO!" He continued to scream. He gripped his axe in anger, wanting to tear apart the monsters that destroyed his home.

Atem bent down and pulled an arrow out of one of the dead bodies. He stared at the point and observed its structure. "Selendrills . . ." He murmured angrily. He broke the arrow in two and stood up. At that word, everyone drew their weapons. Boromir pulled out his sword slowly, not sure about what to do. Atem pulled his bow out from under his cape, as well as an arrow and pulled back, ready to strike. Seto, who was the quickest to react, swiftly pulled his sword from its sheath.

"We made for the gap of Rohan," Boromir complained, "We should never have come here!"

"Well, we're here now, so why don't you stop whining and deal with it!" Seto shot back at him. Yugi, Anzu, Otogi, and Hiroto all started to back away from the bodies fearfully. Hiroto almost tripped on one of the dwarf's heads.

"Let's get out of here," Boromir told them all, "Get out!" They all agreed in unison. The hobbits went out walking backwards, unaware of what was going on behind them. As they walked, Yugi heard a faint growling. He took no other notice of it, though, until he felt like a rapid of water wrap around his left ankle. Yugi screamed and dropped to the floor as the water dragged him toward the lake. Yugi turned in the struggle to see a horrifying sight.

It was not the water that was dragging Yugi to his doom, but what appeared to be a dragon's tail. The tail skin was covered, though, by thousands of currents of water flowing on the skin. It was a water-covered dragon.

The hobbits reacted to Yugi's scream and joined in when they saw what was happening. They all ran to catch up with Yugi and grabbed his flailing hands. The tail tightened it's grip on Yugi as they pulled. Anzu, not remembering Seto's name, called, "Strider!" From inside the mines, Seto turned around and saw the dragon's tail pull back into the water. Anzu then drew her sword from her belt. "Get off of him!" She told the tail as she cut deep through the water on its scales and into the skin of the dragon. The tail pulled back immediately. Seto ran up to them and helped the hobbits pull Yugi away from the water, who was, by now, rigid in fear.

The tail receded into the water, letting everyone put their guard down. Then, without notice, the lake water began to come up, creating a dome-like look. Emerging from the water was the Water Dragon. Its head came up first, and they were all able to see its face. It was ferocious looking, and it was covered in layers of water, like its tail. Its eyes glowed blue and it roared. The roar sounded like a lion with water in its throat. The dragon stared defiantly down at them as everyone but Jonouchi emerged from the tunnel. The dragon's tail came out of the water again and grabbed Yugi's knee. It pulled the screaming Yugi into the air, hanging him upside down. Yugi pulled his sword out from his belt and tried to swing at the tail, which seemed to be acting as the dragon's hands, but almost ended up cutting himself.

Atem drew an arrow from behind his cape again and readied his bow. Taking aim, he let loose the arrow at top speed. The arrow hit the middle of the dragon's tail, making the dragon roar in pain. Then Seto and Boromir ran into the lake's waters and up to the Water Dragon's body. Swinging their swords swiftly, they made deep cuts and gouges into the dragon's skin. But still, the dragon did not let go of Yugi. Atem shot more and more arrows, now aiming for the dragon's throat, but to no avail.

Then the dragon hissed and slowly opened its mouth. Water seemed to be appearing out of nowhere between its jaws. Yugi gasped when he realized that the dragon was going to aim a thundering crash of water onto all of them.

"Watch out!" He yelled between being shaken from the tail. Continuously, Boromir and Seto cut into the dragon's body. They were making good progress, too. But when Yugi warned them about the dragon's strike, they had to think of a different strategy. But what?

Then, suddenly, from out of the mines, Jonouchi emerged. Burning rage and grief shined in his eyes as he gripped his axe, ready for a fight. But when he saw the dragon, a weird feeling took over. He felt a strange jolt of electricity flow through him, but it did not hurt him. He became puzzled by this. Then, from deep inside, a low voice told him _'You are worthy . . .'_ This sudden blast of energy was too much for him to contain. He screamed as he axe became surrounded by a yellowish white light. The voice told him what to do, and then instinct took over.

"I don't know what you are," Jonouchi told the Water Dragon, "But you'll not hurt any of my friends! Now, I summon GILFORD THE LIGHTNING!" The clouds above darkened, and a long strand of lightning crashed down onto the earth soil. The lightning's light brightened, making everyone, even the dragon, look away. When the light dimmed, a large, tall man stood in its place. He had brown skin, and his shoulders were covered by silver armor with some gold on it. His face was also covered by a mask with the same technique of armor, and red slits for his eyes to look through. He wore what looked like a red loincloth, leather boots and gloves, and a purple cape. A very large sword was attached to his back. Gilford yelled out a fearsome battle cry, flexing his muscles.

Jonouchi stared wide-eyed at what he had done. Mahado, who was standing next to him, said, "Well done, Katsuya. Say hello to your heart's Ka." Jonouchi glanced at Mahado in shock, and then back at his Ka.

"You mean this guy is mine? My Ka?" He asked in awe. Mahado nodded.

"Your courage and rage was enough to bring it forth."

Jonouchi grinned. "Well, then, let's get down to business, shall we? Gilford, use your lightning to blast dis dragon into the next millennium!" Gilford drew its sword from the sheath on its back. Sparks flew and thunder roared as Jonouchi's Ka did so. The dragon had stopped concentrating on its attack because of the new arrival. Yugi hung limply in the air, sword in hand. Seto and Boromir backed out of the water, knowing that the battle had been won. Gilford swung his sword in the air, causing more lightning to appear, and charged forward. With all of its might, and with another loud battle cry, Gilford cut his electrified sword through the dragon's throat. The Water Dragon roared in enormous pain. It dropped Yugi, whom was caught by Boromir, and faltered in the water. Gilford swung again and cut the dragon in half, red and brown water spraying everywhere (which must have been its blood). Both halves twitched and turned as the life from it died away, and then sank below the water.

Jonouchi was astounded by his Ka's power. Gilford turned to the Fellowship's awed faces, nodded, and then drifted away with the wind. Boromir came to the surface with Yugi in his hands, put him down on the ground, and sighed.

"Good job, Jonouchi!" Atem complimented him. Jonouchi just nodded, still shocked.

But little did they know that the dragon was indeed still alive. Just as water is attracted to water, so is a water dragon. Both halves slowly mended back together and healed. Wanting revenge, the dragon quickly emerged from the lake again, surprising everyone. It quickly opened its mouth, creating water again. The Fellowship did the only thing they could do at that moment, and that was run. All of them ran into the tunnels of Moria before the dragon could strike, and made it just in time. The tidal surge that it shot could have killed almost anything. The blast hit the top of the entrance, causing the rock to fall. Before anyone knew it, rocks tumbled down in a series, blocking the entrance, as well as exit, from passage. The last thing they heard was the Water Dragon roar in triumph.

**Whew. That was a long one. I'm up 'till midnight writing this thing. So, what'd you think? R&R, but no flames please?**


	28. Through the Dark

**Author's Note:** OK, so maybe I won't get a laptop in time . . . Dad has to go out of town. Oh, well. Right, so now the Fellowship is in Moria, given without a choice. This is getting exciting! Isis the Sphinx, cheeky-eyes, Angel Gunner Lenne, and Lara Chubb of Deephollow (the usual gang), thank-you so very much for you comments. Well, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 29: Through the Dark

"We now have but one choice," Mahado said in the pure darkness of the dwarf tunnels. He hit his staff's tip on the ground very hard, making the stone on top glow a bright white light. Everyone had to narrow their eyes because they weren't adjusted to the light. "We must face the long, dark journey of Moria." He started to walk forward toward a staircase clustered with dwarf bodies. Everyone else, some soaking, some dry, immediately put their bags and supplies on their backs and followed. "Be one your guard. There are older and more evil things than Selendrills in the world . . ." Everyone who had a weapon, except for the hobbits, had them drawn. "Quietly, now. It's a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."

As they walked through the entrance chamber, they found themselves on a bridge that led across a large, open space. No one knew were the bottom of the drop was, because it was totally covered in shadow. Just by looking ahead, they could tell that it was going to be a long journey.

At one point, they were climbing stairs that almost went straight up. So, climbing them was like climbing a mountain. As Yugi climbed, he found himself disgusted with the rotten bodies all around him. At one point, Hiroto had become so entranced with a body that had an arrow in its eye, he had lost his footing and almost fell off of the stairs into nothingness. If it hadn't been for Boromir, he actually would have fallen, but he had caught Hiroto by his traveling cape. "Honda . . ." Otogi sighed exasperatedly.

When Mahado reached the top of the stairs, he found himself stuck at a fork in the road. There, in front of him, were three archways leading separate ways. Mahado groaned at the thought of getting lost, as well as trying to figure out this puzzle. There were no clues this time. He looked from door to door, each in a suspicious way. As the others climbed up to stand by him, Mahado sighed.

"I have no memory of this place . . ." He murmured quietly. Everyone sighed and immediately put there bags down. They knew where this was going.

Seto groaned, "Well, here we go again . . ." Then he walked over to a corner by himself.

* * *

Like before, they waited for hours for Mahado to regain his memory. Mahado sat on a rock in front of the archways, murmuring to himself. Farther down the steps, in a flat area of rock, the others sat. Yugi and Anzu sat alone together, with Jonouchi, Hiroto and Otogi close by. Atem sat on another rock and neatly dusted off filth from his clothes and pendant, Boromir near him, and Seto in the corner.

"Are we lost?" Hiroto asked to Otogi under his breath.

"No," Otogi replied back impatiently.

". . . I think we are."

"SHH!"

". . . Otogi?"

"Hmm?"

". . . I'm hungry."

Yugi heard a strange noise behind him. Knowing that it wasn't one of the Fellowship, he turned around to look. When he saw something moving down in the depths of the mines, he fully turned his body around. There, on the sides of the steps, was what appeared to be a human or creature crawling around. He was too far away, though, and Yugi couldn't get a clear picture of him. He gasped, making Anzu turn around, but she didn't appear to see anything. When the creature went out of sight, Yugi quickly pulled back and ran to Mahado.

"There's something down there!" Yugi whispered. Mahado, though, did not turn his head to acknowledge Yugi's presence.

"It's Gollum," He replied. Yugi's face turned to astonishment.

"Gollum?" Yugi gasped. Mahado nodded his head.

"He's been following us for three days."

"You mean, he escaped the dungeons of Helmosore?" Yugi asked. Mahado shrugged.

"Escaped, maybe. But think of this: was he maybe set loose?" He turned his head to look at Yugi with an evil glimmer in his eye. Yugi turned around to look at the place Gollum had been a few moments ago hesitantly. "He hates, and loves, the Ring, as he hates and loves himself. He will never be rid of his need for it. . . ."

"If he's so evil, why didn't Grandpa hurt him . . . or worse, kill him?"

"Pity," Mahado answered simply, "It was pity that kept Sugoroku's hand steady. Many that live deserve death, but some that die deserve life. . . . Can _you_ give it to him, Yugi?" Mahado suddenly asked. Yugi looked taken aback. The thought of killing anything sent shivers down his spine . . . except for maybe the Nazgûl, but they were dead.

"I-I d-don't know," Yugi stammered, thinking fearfully of himself thrusting a sword into Gollum's chest.

"Do not be too eager to deal with the judgment of death, Yugi. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play here, for good or evil, before this is over. The pity of Sugoroku may rule the fate of Men."

Yugi then had a sad face, looking like he wanted to shed tears. "I wish . . . I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this would have happened . . ." Mahado put his hand oh Yugi's shoulder.

"So do all who live to see these times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to do is to decide what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces in the world besides the will of evil. Your grandfather was meant to find the Ring, in which case, you also where _meant_ to have it."

Yugi looked up at Mahado, "You mean fate, don't you?" He asked. Mahado nodded.

"Yes, Yugi. Fate." Then he looked up at an archway and raised his eyebrows. "Ah! It's that way!" He exclaimed. Everyone looked around at Mahado and Yugi.

"He's remembered!" Otogi quietly exclaimed.

"_Finally_," Seto sarcastically added. Everyone then started to gather around Mahado has he picked up his staff.

"Actually, no, I have not remembered," Mahado told them as he started to walk down the passageway, his staff lit up, "But the air doesn't smell so foul down here. If in doubt, always follow your nose."

It did not take them long to exit the descending staircase. After about fifteen minutes, they all entered a large, dark cavern. No one could see anything, even with Mahado's light. So, when all gathered in the area, Mahado hit his staff on the ground very hard, told the others to look away (which all did, except for Hiroto, who temporarily went blind), and made his staff light brighter. What they saw was amazing and inspiring, but to none more than Jonouchi.

For as far as the eye could see, columns stood, creating rows after rows of them. They were no ordinary columns, either. No, these rose up to over six stories high or more. Jonouchi, who was practically jumping now, ran all over the place in glee.

"You know what guys?" He asked as he ran over, "I remember! I remember dis place like it was only yesterday!"

"That's great, but do you think that you could keep it down? I don't rather look too fondly on getting an arrow in my leg because you woke all of the Selendrills up," Seto told him. Jonouchi kept quiet, but still ran around in complete happiness.

Mahado nodded at Jonouchi, and then turned to the others, "Welcome, my friends, to the Sacred Realm of the Dwarf City," He announced.

"Well, there's an eye opener! Make no mistake," Anzu gasped. Everyone was happier than they had felt in a long time.

. . . Until they saw a white light coming from a room nearby.

**I hope you got the picture of Moria, because it was really hard to explain, since everything's dark. Just picture them surrounded by wet, black rocks and shadow everywhere they go, OK? R&R, but no flames please?**


	29. Battle in the Tomb

**Author's Note:** So many chapters! I truly never thought I'd get this far. I was sure that I would get a lot of burn messages, and I would end up removing the story. But, there's been no such thing! It makes me happy to finally write this! Angel Gunner Lenne, Lara Chubb of Deephollow, cheeky-eyes, and Isis the Sphinx, thank-you so much for your comments. Yet another fight scene here! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 30: Battle in the Tomb

At first, when Jonouchi saw the room, he took no notice of it. But while walking by, he saw a ray of sunlight streaming down on a rectangular piece of rock. When he saw that, he suddenly cried out it horror. Ignoring the quieted cries of his fellow travelers, Jonouchi ran into the room with sunlight. He stopped right in front of the neatly carved rock and went rigid.

The sunlight that was strangely pouring through a small whole in the wall was shining on the rock, and only the rock. Jonouchi, after slightly recovering from the shock, murmured to himself quietly, "No . . . no . . . no, no, no . . . NO!" He fell to his knees in defeat and gaped at the rock. When the others walked in to see what he was up to, they noticed that his face was drowned in tears and his eyes were gleaming in sadness. He finally lowered his head to the floor and cried freely.

Mahado walked up to the rock and looked onto the surface of it. The sunlight gleaming down on it made it easy to read what the message written in the dwarf language said. He read aloud, "'Here lies Balin, Lord of Moria' . . . He is dead, then. It is as I feared," He said to the others, who most had faces of slight grief.

Mahado looked at the tomb for a while, and then down at a rotten body leaning against it, with an arrow in his heart. In the corpse's rotten hands, though, was a gigantic book that looked very old. This caught Mahado's attention. He handed his staff to Hiroto, bent down and moved the dead hand that held the book, and picked it up. Flipping through the pages urgently, he searched for the last page that was written on.

Atem, who was at the back of the group, walked up to Seto's side. "We must move on. We can not linger," He murmured. Seto nodded in agreement, but did nothing more as Mahado started to read the book, or in this case, record book, quietly.

" 'They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. We have barred the gates, but can not hold them for long. The ground shakes . . . drums . . . drums, the deep. We can not get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We can not get out. They are coming.' "

As Mahado read, the Fellowship felt themselves become engrossed with fear. Each moment, the passage seemed to get more suspenseful. They knew of what battle the dead dwarf spoke of, for it was obvious by his state. Hiroto, though, found himself getting bored. He started to back up, knowing that no one was watching him. He turned around and saw what appeared to be a stone well. Sitting on the well was yet another dead body with many, many arrows in him. Hiroto became interested in the cobwebbed arrows and saw his hand reach out for one. He just could not resist the temptation. His hand touched the arrow and twisted it just when Mahado finished.

Little did Hiroto know, though, that the body's head was very loose, and that the slightest touch would make it fall off. This is exactly what happened as Hiroto touched and twisted the arrow. The head fell back slowly, and then dropped into the depths of the well. The head had a helmet on, too, which made it clatter and clank as it fell and smashed against the well walls.

As the head fell, Mahado, as well as all of the others, turned toward him in startle. Hiroto jumped and turned to face them. Just has he turned, Hiroto heard a groan behind him. The dwarf's entire body, which was covered in armor and attached to a chain, fell back and dropped down the well, too. Falling back, it seemed like the noise it was making was ear splitting. At every clatter and crash the body made as it dropped, Hiroto twitched in shame and fear. Finally, when the body touched the bottom, it made a noise so loud, Hiroto had to fight himself from falling to the ground.

When he opened his eyes, he found everyone glaring at him in hate and anger. They were meanwhile staring around at the walls as if they would attack at any moment. Boromir sighed and looked to the floor. Mahado slammed the book in his hands closed and walked over to Hiroto angrily.

"You fool!" He yelled, despite the fact that they were supposed to be quiet. But, then again, maybe that didn't matter now, "Why don't you throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" He grabbed his staff from Hiroto's hands and glared at him. Hiroto looked to the floor in even more shame.

But then something happened that practically made everyone's heart stop.

_Thud . . ._

Mahado, who had his back turned to Hiroto, turned back and looked at the well. Hiroto looked, too.

_Thud . . ._

_Thud, thud . . ._

It was the sound of drums.

_Thud, thud, thud, THUD!_

Soon, all that there was to be heard was the _thud_ of the approaching enemy's drums. Screams soon joined in with the drums, which were undoubtedly unhuman.

Anzu looked down at Yugi's sword apprehensively. "Yugi . . ." Yugi quickly pulled out his sword and gasped as he saw it glowing blue. That only meant one thing –

"Selendrills!" Atem exclaimed. The screams increased. Boromir turned to the door and ran. He stopped at the entrance and looked around outside. He had to draw back quickly, though, as two fresh, black arrows flew through the air at him. He pulled his head back as the arrows stuck into the door.

The hobbits, who were not used to fighting, all huddled close together. Jonouchi had been woken out of his reverie of grief, thanks to the drums and screaming. He slowly stood up and faced the door bravely, axe in hand. Atem saw the hobbits in their group.

"Get back!" He told them, "Stay close to Mahado!" Mahado, who acted upon his king's command, ran over to them and acted as their shield. Atem ran over to Jonouchi's side. Seto, who had seen the arrows aimed at Boromir, ran over to him and helped him quickly close the door. As they closed it, they heard a strange roar that rang loud and clear.

"Oh, great," Boromir complained, "They have a Cave Dragon!" He and Seto both started to gather weapons from the dead dwarfs' hands and place them between the handles to keep the doors closed. Then they all backed up to the front of Balin's tomb and drew their weapons, even the hobbits.

By now, the Selendrills had made it to the doors and were now ragingly trying to open them. Jonouchi, filled with grief and anger, stood upon Balin's tomb and yelled a battle cry. "Let 'em come! There's still one last man in Moria who's loyal to Lord Balin!" He held his axe into the air. Atem drew an arrow from his back and held it steadily. The hobbits, Mahado, Seto, and Boromir all held their swords in preparation.

Now the Selendrills were breaking in though the doors by carving through the wood. Black swords and maces stuck through as they tried to break in. As a big enough hole was made, Atem took aim and released an arrow. The arrow hit its target as a scream was heard from the other side. Atem drew another arrow and shot again. As he reached for his third arrow, the Selendrills finally broke in, and the battle began.

In came many green-skinned, slimy Selendrills. They looked like giant lizards that stood on their hind legs and had wings. Yugi and the other hobbits were terrified of the sight.

Atem released thousands of arrows by the second. He never seemed to run out of them. But the Selendrills were much greater in number, and charged forward none the less. Boromir ran forward and went into combat with an ugly Selendrill. He swung his sword, but the Selendrill blocked. He swung again and thrust his sword through the Selendrill's throat.

Jonouchi also battled fiercely. Mahado ran forward with his sword and staff, killing many Selendrills. The hobbits also charged forward, screaming all the way in a loud battle cry. They were surprisingly good fighters for small people. Atem was still releasing more arrows. Yugi, with his sword glowing, shoved his blade into a Selendrill's stomach, as well as Hiroto. Otogi, who seemed to be enjoying himself with killing, cut off a Selendrill's arm and then his leg. This seemed to be the best thing that had happened in his life, despite the fact that he was scared. Anzu hesitantly plunged her sword into a Selendrill's stomach. She did not like fighting at all. Seto seemed to be swinging his sword the fastest. But as he ran forward to kill an enemy, a Selendrill unexpectedly grabbed his coat and pulled him back. Seto turned around angrily and cut the Selendrill's head off. Green blood splattered into the air as the corpse fell to the ground.

Just as Anzu turned to face another opponent, though, she heard a low growl. She shrieked at what she saw was behind her. It was a green, very large, dragon bursting through the much too small door and surrounding stone. Its face was wide and looked like it was made out of stone. Two horns stuck out of its head. Its green scales looked rock hard, as well. On the sides of its stomach were tan spikes sticking out of its skin. And its tail swung around angrily and created dents in the walls. The tip of the tail had the same tan spikes. It almost looked like a gigantic turtle, with its red eyes burning into Anzu's scared ones.

The Cave Dragon roared hoarsely to announce its arrival. The Fellowship turned to it in fear. Atem drew another arrow and flung it at the dragon, but it just bounced off it its hard scales. This attack, though, made it very mad. It stepped forward and thrust its sharp tail at Anzu. She screamed, but ran forward and crawled under the dragon, dodging the attack. The dragon stupidly looked around in confusion. The hobbits all gathered together, except for Anzu, and hid behind a stone column.

Jonouchi gripped his axe and threw it at the Cave Dragon. Once again, the blow bounced off. The dragon turned toward him and roared. It aimed its tail at him, but he dodged, and ran over to pick up his axe again. As he dodged, though, the tail hit Balin's tomb, destroying it. The dragon swung again, but Jonouchi ducked. A Selendrill got in the way and the tail hit it instead. Jonouchi straightened up, only to be thrust into the wall by another swing of the tail. He fell to the floor and looked up to see the dragon preparing for the finishing blow. But as the tail came down, two of Atem's arrows hit the dragon's face. Though the arrows bounced off, it became a large enough diversion for Jonouchi to run. As he did, the killed another Selendrill.

On the upper level of the room, Atem was there shooting many arrows. But as he did this, he realized that some Selendrills were coming up to join him. He made them believe that he did not notice them by ignoring their presence. But when they were a foot away and about to strike, he drew a mid-length sword from his belt and thrust it into a Selendrill. As he pulled his hand back, his elbow hit another Selendrill from behind, knocking him out. He cut his sword into that one, and then one more. Then he saw the Cave Dragon swing its long tail in his direction. He ducked quickly, then stood up. _'How can I get rid of this thing?'_ He asked himself. The dragon struck again, making Atem fall to his stomach. Rocks tumbled down from the blow of the tail and Atem had to roll over to dodge those, too. Again and again, he dodged as the Cave Dragon struck.

But then, the dragon's tail got stuck between two stone columns. Atem used the tail as a bridge to climb onto the dragon's back. The dragon roared in protest as he did so. He walked right to the back of the dragon's head, where its short neck was and drew his bow. He released an arrow and finally the arrow struck soft skin. The arrow's tip thrust through the dragon's skin. The Cave Dragon roared in pain. However, Atem had to jump off of the dragon (regrettably, for he was about to make the finishing blow) because of an attacking Selendrill.

Anzu had dropped her sword in the process of battle and had had to find a new weapon. She quickly reached behind her to her bags on her back and pulled out a frying pan. She smiled and smashed it against an oncoming Selendrill's face. Her blow had thrown the Selendrill's face backward, breaking its neck and killing it. She turned around and did the same thing to another Selendrill. As the second dropped, she gapped at her newly found weapon.

"I think I'm getting the hang of this!" She said to herself and banged another Selendrill.

Yugi, Hiroto, and Otogi left their hiding place behind the pillar and ran around the edges of the room. But, the Cave Dragon (who still had the arrows in its neck) saw them. It walked forward and started to take aim with its tail. Hiroto screamed as he saw it. Just as the tail came down, they all jumped out of the way. Otogi and Hiroto went to one side, and Yugi hid behind another pillar. Seto, who was also on the upper level of the room, saw this happen. He quickly drove his sword into a Selendrill's upper thigh, and then jumped down to help them.

Yugi ran around the corner of the pillar as the Cave Dragon looked around it. When the dragon didn't see him, he pulled back and proceeded to look on the other side, where Yugi was. Yugi pulled around the corner again and went to the other side as the Cave Dragon looked at where he had just been.

While trying to run to Yugi's aid, Seto became locked into a battle with more Selendrills. He tried to cut off their heads, but all three of them blocked. When he saw that it wasn't working, he punched the Selendrill in the face as hard as he could. The enemy was knocked out. Seto plunged his sword into its stomach, and then spun around to do the same to the other three.

The Cave Dragon was pulling back again to look for Yugi on the other side. Yugi hid once again, but could tell by the dragon's growl that it was getting very annoyed. It pulled back and Yugi moved forward, looking ahead of himself to see if the Cave Dragon would look that way. When it didn't, Yugi let out a sigh of relief. The dragon had gone.

The only problem was, it hadn't.

The dragon quickly came around the corner behind Yugi and roared very loudly. Yugi jumped back, startled. The scare made Yugi drop to the floor, which happened to be a corner. The dragon reached its head out and grabbed his angle with its mouth. Yugi squirmed in protest, trying to swing his sword at the mouth. He could feel its tongue on his foot. The Cave Dragon started to drag him back. As he was dragged, Yugi tried to grab onto anything that he could hold on to, but there was nothing around.

"Help! Help!" He cried as he was dragged. The dragon was starting to raise its tail. Yugi swung his sword and cut the snout of the beast. It let go of Yugi with a snarl. Yugi scooted back as hard as he could.

Then he heard someone yell. Suddenly, Seto jumped in front of him, sword in one hand and a spear in the other. The spear, strangely, had the head of a Selendrill stuck on it. The dragon lifted itself on its hind legs and prepared to smash them. But, it had revealed its soft underbelly, and became very vulnerable. Seto realized this, and lunged the spear into its soft skin. The cry of pain it emitted only made him push the spear farther in.

Hiroto and Otogi also tried to help Yugi. They picked up some heavy rocks and started to throw them at the dragon. The dragon's skin blocked them, though. The Cave Dragon swung its body sideways very hard, throwing Seto against the wall. Yugi tried to run over to his aid, but the dragon had already pulled the spear out of its body and was attacking again. Yugi dodged and dodged, but his energy was running out. Soon, he was cornered, and Yugi thought he saw the dragon sneer.

The Cave Dragon shoved its tail's sharp tip into Yugi's ribcage.

Yugi cried out in pain. The blow hurt unbearably. Seeing Yugi was hurt, the dragon only drove its tail in harder. Soon, after emitting much saliva, Yugi's body went limp. Mahado heard the loud, suffering cry and turned to Yugi. He couldn't believe what he saw. Hiroto and Otogi also saw it and they, too, were astonished and grief-stricken. Anzu was the one, though, that was hurt most of all.

"YUGI!" She cried and tried to run over to him. She was blocked, though, by more Selendrills. She swung her frying pan with all the strength she could muster, knowing that Yugi's life was on the line.

Seeing Yugi's body go limp, Hiroto and Otogi yelled in pain, as well, and jumped onto the dragon's back, trying all they could to shove their swords into the dragon's rock-hard scales. It was all in vain, though.

Mahado also tried his hardest to get to Yugi, but was blocked, as well. As Mahado looked at Yugi while fighting, he could see his muscles start to relax and his eyes start to close, the dragon's tail pulling out of him. Yugi fell to the floor and didn't move after that.

Now, all of the Selendrills were dead, and the Cave Dragon was the only remaining enemy. It was also the most despised. All of the Fellowship were fighting it with all of their strength. The only one who had not moved after Yugi's hit was Atem. When he had seen Yugi drop to the floor, he had felt as if a part of him had fallen, as well. He could do nothing more than stand and stare at Yugi's limp body. This new rage in him burned like a small fire. All he wanted to do now was to kill the Cave Dragon, even if it took him with it.

The rage inside him soon became hard to control. Taking one last, long look at his "twin", Atem jumped down from the second level of the room and confronted the dragon locked in battle with the others. His pendant around his neck began to glow, and a strange eye appeared on his forehead. His eyes burned into the Cave Dragon's, the longing to kill in them. The other Fellowship members noticed his sudden appearance, and they all understood what was happening. All of them backed off, allowing Atem to take a full blow. The Cave Dragon turned to Atem.

Atem's power was soon too much to control, and he had to release it. A barrier of gold light surrounded him as he screamed out. The light grew stronger, making the dragon look away. When the light dimmed, the dragon looked back to find a large soldier standing in front of him.

"How _dare_ you hurt Yugi!" Atem growled as he looked at his Ka, "How _dare_ you kill him!" The soldier in front of him was covered in black and gold armor. The man was very tall. His long, red hair was tied up and it stuck through a hole in his helmet. In his hand was a long, curved sword. The soldier yelled a terrifying battle cry. "Now, Black Luster Soldier," Atem yelled, "Vanquish this beast into the abyss!"

The Black Luster Soldier swung its sword in the air, and then leaped at the Cave Dragon. The dragon blocked the blow with its tail. Atem's Ka struck again, and the dragon blocked again. Soon, the two monsters were locked in a ferocious battle. But, after all of the wounds the dragon had, it was very weak. It did not take long for the Black Luster Soldier to jump up onto its back. Giving out another loud cry, the Ka plunged its glowing sword into the dragon's neck. With one swift motion, and a painful cry from the dragon, the Black Luster Soldier cut off the Cave Dragon's head. The dragon's body twitched for a moment, and then everything went still.

Atem, still burning with anger, nodded at his Ka. He knew the Black Luster Soldier quite well, but this was the first time that he had been able to willingly summon him. The Ka nodded back, and then disappeared in the sunlight. All of them then ran over to Yugi, Atem receiving some congratulations on the way. All of them stood around Yugi, but not daring to go near him. Mahado leaned against a pillar in exhaustion, and Anzu stood the closest, crying with her hand over her mouth. But Seto, who had regained consciousness, slowly limped forward. He leaned down and turned Yugi onto his back.

Yugi gagged for air as he was turned. Everyone gasped when they saw the Yugi was alive, yet weak. Anzu shrieked and ran over to Yugi's side.

"Yugi . . . H-he's alive," She whispered. Yugi stared up at her and smiled weakly. Mahado sighed in obvious relief. Yugi sat up and leaned against the wall. He slowly looked around at everyone, panting.

"I'm alright . . . I-I'm not hurt," He told them all.

"You should be dead," Seto murmured. He was astonished that Yugi was alive. Then he smirked as he understood. "There's more to you, Yugi, than at first sight, isn't there?" He asked. Yugi nodded and revealed the Neethrill armor under his shirt.

"Neethrill . . ." Jonouchi murmured in surprise, "Man, you had me worried there, Yug! You sure are full of surprises!" Yugi laughed weakly.

But his smile quickly faded as they heard more drums and more screeching in the distance of Moria.

**Yet another midnighter! So, what did you think? I hope you all got Cave Dragon's appearance. I'm copying it off of the card. R&R, but no flames please?**


	30. The Tyrant Dragon

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the day's wait! I've just gotten entranced by an awesome story that came to my attention. You all have probably read it, but I haven't! It's called Revival of the Heart, I think, and it's really good. The author keeps all of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Characters in correct form and attitude, and the plot is amazing. Sorry, I'm done now. I just have to tell you readers about something good if it comes along. Now it's time for the real action again, and a terrible loss. But, you'll have to read to find out! Isis the Sphinx, cheeky-eyes, Lara Chubb of Deephollow, Hydro-Wolf, and Angel Gunner Lenne, thank-you for your comments. Also, if there's anyone else who's reading, but not reviewing, please do! I'm trying to aim for 100 reviews before this thing is over! Well, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 31: The Tyrant Dragon

The Fellowship could hear the screams and cries of the Selendrills deep within the caverns of Moria. At the fork in the road where Mahado had lost his sense of direction, in another doorway, one could see an evil, red glow emitting from it. As the Selendrills moved around and took their positions, getting ready for a battle, their shadows passed the fiery glow.

In the Tomb of Balin, Mahado listened to those screeches in horror. There were much more Selendrills than he had expected. He quickly readied his muscles, while glancing at the weak Yugi, and then started to run out of the Tomb and into the Sacred Realm of the Dwarf City. As he ran, he looked back at them and yelled, "To the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm! Hurry!"

The others quickly readied themselves and followed Mahado out of the Tomb. First, Mahado, second, Atem, and then Seto, Jonouchi, Otogi, Anzu, who was supporting Yugi, Hiroto, and finally, Boromir. As they ran out into the Sacred Realm of the Dwarf City, they could hear noises all around them, like that of many spiders crawling through their web.

As Mahado ran in the lead, he lit up his staff again, which surrounded them in an orb of light. He drew his sword from its sheath again, signaling to the others to do so if they had not.

Then, suddenly, Yugi heard strange growling and screeching behind him. His heart filled with dread as he turned around to see what was making the noise. Running behind them, and at a quick pace, were thousands upon thousands of Selendrills. They were all carrying shields and swords that craved to slip through a body. Their eyes all flashed evil glares, and their mouths flowed with acid saliva at the thought of a chase. Yugi could not help but release a terrified scream. Anzu heard him and turned around see what Yugi was scared of. When she saw the swiftly approaching Selendrills, she could feel her blood turn cold. As she looked at the others, she saw that they, too, had noticed their hunters.

Mahado looked around them and noticed that it was not just behind them that the Selendrills approached, but from all sides. They came from cracks in the ground, hidden caverns, and down the humongous stone pillars. Now they definitely looked like insects climbing on the walls and out of the cracks. Mahado thanked Ra that the Sacred Realm was an enormous room; otherwise, they would have been caught by now. That gratefulness, though, went away quickly when he saw that they were being surrounded. Not to mention, their energy was low, and all of them were in a state of fatigue.

There were just too many of them. As they ran, the Selendrills caught up with them. Soon, they had to stop, for they were completely surrounded. As they circled around the Fellowship, they howled in triumph like a wolf does when it catches its prey. There was no way of escape.

Yugi was scared beyond belief. Not only because this was his first, and probably last, time encountering Selendrills, but because of the faces were they giving him. Though it was hard to tell, the Selendrills seemed to be sneering and laughing at them. He could see the bloodlust in their eyes, and how they gripped their weapons in anticipation. It sent a cold shiver up his spine.

The other three hobbits were not far off in terms of fear. Hiroto felt very scared, but also couldn't help but feel guilt as well. None of this would have happened if he hadn't let his stupid curiosity take over. Otogi was thinking the same thing, though also trying to judge what they would do next. Anzu was completely frozen. She clung to Yugi's arm for support, trying to comfort him as well as trying to comfort herself. Though she could think of no way out of the situation, she just had a feeling that this wasn't the end.

Jonouchi by now was filled with rage; rage for the Selendrills for taking control of his home, and rage at himself for not being able to stop it. He gripped his axe and prepared to strike, trying to force all of his anger into his trusted weapon. Boromir gripped his sword firmly. He was also fearful, but the training he had endured in Gondor had strengthened his will. Not much fear was able to enter his heart these days. He would fight the Selendrills to the death. Atem also clutched his bow tightly. In his mind, he pondered about what he should do. He was, after all, the Pharaoh of Egypt, and had many powers at his grasp. First, he turned to the thought of summoning his Ka, but he was much too worn out for that. Then he thought of his pendant, the Millennium Puzzle. It would protect him if he were to face death, but there was no predicting the thought process of a Millennium Item.

Seto was next to fearless. He had been through many things in his short life, so this situation just added to the list. He couldn't help but think, though, why he had agreed to joining this ridiculous journey. '_Look where it's gotten me,_' he thought as he glared hatefully at the encasing Selendrills. He did think of Critiàsa and summoning the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, but he had no idea how much strength that would take, or if the dragon could endure this many enemies. The last thing he wanted to do was injure the precious Ka that had been given to him. So, that meant that he would just have to wait it out and only rely on the Blue-Eyes as a last resort. The Selendrills didn't have a chance against his sword, anyway.

Mahado was also thinking about summoning his Ka, the Dark Magician. But, though it was powerful, he just could not risk it. If his Ka died, so would his soul. The Selendrills, by now, were only feet away from them all, forcing Mahado to think faster. _How could they get out of this situation?_ And if they did, there was always the possibility of –

Suddenly, a low, yet loud growl echoed through the Great Hall. The Selendrills paused in their approach and looked around frightfully. Some gave out loud, startled cries, while the others froze in fear. Then, far down the row of columns, Mahado saw a red glow slowly start advancing toward them. Second after second, pillar after pillar the bright, red glow drew nearer. The Selendrills all turned toward it, and the hall was suddenly filled with shrieks of terror. A second, louder growl echoed around them. More shrieks. Then, before the Fellowship knew it, every single Selendrill was climbing up the stone pillars like spiders and crawled through the holes in the ceiling, leaving the group completely alone.

Save one.

A long, low, angry rumble filled the hall. The Fellowship turned toward the new threat, namely the red glow, quickly. Atem raised his bow, trying to find a life force in the light that he could aim at, but didn't find one. Mahado, though, turned slowly toward the light. His skin, though tan, looked strangely pale, and his eyes were full of trepidation and dread. The others didn't know what they were about to face, which was probably a good thing, but Mahado did. He was about to face his greatest fear.

Quietly, and with a sick tone in his voice, Boromir asked, "What is this new devilry?" Mahado did not answer. He just closed his eyes in an attempt to control his fear. He could sense evil, hate, wickedness, anger, vice, malevolence . . . it was all around him, coming from that red glow that was but a few meters in front of them. He gripped his staff tightly and opened up his eyes again, preparing himself.

Another thunderous growl. The red glow was strangely starting to look like the light fire gives off on its surrounding walls. A blast of heat thrust at the Fellowship as the growl continued. Yugi thought his skin would burn off if he did not move. Everyone else stood still with fear.

"The Tyrant Dragon," Mahado gravely told them all. Yugi didn't have the slightest clue to what that meant or was, but his instincts told him something: danger. He listened, though, as did everyone else, as Mahado continued. "The demon of the dark world. This foe is beyond any we've ever faced." Suddenly, his eyes flashed in fear at the thought.

Seto, however, had enough common sense at the moment. Grunting, he quickly turned around and started running in the opposite direction of the red light. When he noticed that the others were not following him, but still staring at the oncoming enemy, he yelled to wake them out of their trances, "Well, are you just going to stand there? RUN, YOU FOOLS!" His voice cut through their fearful spell. They realized that they were in grave danger and started to finally run away from the Tyrant Dragon's power, hearing another growl that seemed closer.

They ran to the end of the Great Hall and stopped at a large, metal door. Boromir, who was in the lead, opened it quickly and then continued on, the Fellowship following. He ran through a series of stone steps and then emerged into a very large chamber. Boromir continued to run, but swiftly had to stop himself. The stairs that continued on like a bridge were broken off. Boromir had to regain his balance, hoping that none of the others would bump into him. He looked down from the edge of the broken steps and found that he could not see the bottom. Just when he was about to fall over, for he could not keep balance, two strong hands wrapped around his waist. He fell back onto the hard ground, landing on top of his savior. He quickly got up and helped the savior on to his feet, who just happened to be Atem.

"Pharaoh . . . I'm sorry! Thank-you," He quickly told the Pharaoh as he stood up.

"Forget it," He replied. The hobbits emerged from the turning stair hall and all four halted before they could bump into Boromir and Atem. Jonouchi joined them before he could fall. Lastly, Seto and Mahado came out. Mahado was, by now, panting, for he was very tired.

Seto noticed that Mahado did not look so well. His muscles were shaking and his face was drenched in sweat. His eyes looked sad and exhausted. Though he knew that they needed to hurry, Mahado was their only way out. Seto bent down to look into Mahado's face. "Something wrong? Besides the dragon, I mean," He asked. Mahado looked at him with those sad eyes.

"I'll . . . be fine, I think . . . The Tyrant Dragon . . . drains my power, leaving me weaker. . . . Anything this evil . . . does," Mahado panted in reply. He knew what he had to do. He weakly put his hand on Seto's shoulder. "Lead the way, Seto," He pointed his head in a direction, "The Bridge is near . . ." Seto turned around to see a bridge connecting two of the mountain cliffs. To get there, though, it looked like they had to cross another bridge of steps. In the background, very loud and close by, the Tyrant Dragon's growl ringed in their ears.

Seto shook his head, "No. You're not doing what I think you are doing, Mahado," He held up his sword as if to prove a point, "We'll fight off this Tyrant Dragon, if that's what it takes." This seemed to make Mahado very angry. He suddenly pushed Seto away, slamming him against the wall. Seto confusedly looked at Mahado.

"Swords are no more use here, Seto! You have to escape!" Mahado yelled at him. His temper, as well as fear, was starting to burn up. Regretting what he was doing, Seto nodded and then turned to the other Fellowship members.

"You heard Mahado! Follow me!" He told them. He started to run down the step bridge, and the others followed. Mahado was the last one of the group, taking up the rear.

As they fled down the narrow path that was the giant staircase, Yugi almost lost his balance. Jonouchi caught him, though, and they moved on, everyone running for their lives. Mahado glanced back at the top of the stairs and could see a faint red glow. He quickened his pace.

As they ran down the steps, they came across a piece of it that was removed, leaving a gap that led down to the unseen floor. Atem jumped over it with ease and turned around to help the others make it safely across. Suddenly, vibrations traveled across Moria as the Tyrant Dragon's feet hit the ground. The weak rock under them began to crumble. Another growl filled the air. Mahado turned to look behind him and could see the red glow very brightly.

"Mahado!" Atem yelled at Mahado. Hearing his King's call, he turned back around and saw that he was waiting for him to jump. Obeying his Pharaoh's command, he tightened his muscles and jumped across the wide gap with all of his might. Just as he landed on the other side, he heard an ear-splitting roar fill the cavern. The Tyrant Dragon was very close indeed.

As if the situation couldn't get worse, Selendrills started to pop out of the cracks in the halls around the cavern. They all started to shoot blindingly fast, black arrows in their direction. One almost hit Boromir in the foot, making him jump back. As more and more arrows were aimed at them, Atem drew his bow, pulled out an arrow of his own, and aimed. With his sharp eyes, he spotted a Selendrill hidden in the darkness with its bow. Smirking, he released the arrow. It hit his target dead on, right between the eyes. The Selendrill, now dead, fell down into the dark abyss beneath them.

Boromir seized the distraction and grabbed Hiroto's and Otogi's waists. "Hold on to me!" He told them as he braced himself, and then jumped. But as his feat left the ground, the weak rock from where he just stood crumbled and fell down into the darkness. This made the gap between the two bigger. As Boromir, Hiroto, and Otogi landed safely on the other side, they all realized this.

Atem shot another arrow at a Selendrill, this time, hitting him in the chest. Then another in the nose. Selendrill after Selendrill fell as Atem killed them.

Jonouchi knew that Anzu couldn't jump that far of a distance on her own. He looked at her and saw the anxiousness in her eyes. "Anzu, grab hold of my arm," He told her. She did so, and then, like Boromir, he jumped. But the extra weight slowed him down. He used all of his strength to force her onto the other side. She landed into Mahado's arms safely, but Jonouchi wasn't so lucky. His foot touched the other side, but that was it. His foot could not balance, and he screamed as he found himself falling into the unknown. But just as he was about to go out of reach and be lost forever, a hand caught his and held him in midair. It was Atem. He had stopped momentarily in his killing spree to save Jonouchi. Jonouchi gratefully smiled at Atem as he pulled him up. Now only Seto and Yugi remained.

Just as Seto was about to throw Yugi to the other side, the rock beneath them once again crumbled. Yugi found himself falling as his feet lost the ground. His heart got caught in his throat and his stomach lurched as he fell. But then Seto took hold of him and threw Yugi farther onto the rock ledge. Then the stairs under Seto collapsed, but he was ready. He jumped off of it just in time before the force of gravity took him over. His upper body landed on what was left of the staircase, while his lower half hung loosely. He pushed himself up and then helped Yugi onto his feet. Both of them looked at the distance that they had to jump.

By the look of it, there was almost no possible way a human, or hobbit, could jump that distance.

The Tyrant Dragon growled again, coming ever so closer. Its foot touched the ground, and rock all around Moria crumbled to the ground as the vibrations went through them. The already loose rock that was holding up Seto's and Yugi's end of the staircase gave in. Down to where the rock held the stair bridge up, a big layer of the stone vibrated by the Tyrant Dragon's foot and fell down to the sightless bottom, leaving the upper half to sway back and forth without support.

As the stairs shook back and forth, Seto held Yugi's shoulder to keep him on his feet. Whether he liked Yugi or not, he was still the Ring Barer. Both stood there for a moment, trying to keep their balance. They leaned their bodies back and forth, making the rock below them do the same. This gave Seto an idea.

"Hang on!" He yelled, suddenly realizing.

Back on the safe side of the bridge, the others watched helplessly as Seto and Yugi tried their hardest to keep their balance. Atem, Mahado, and Anzu were the most worried of all. Atem had grown close to Yugi over the days they traveled. He now felt that his look-alike was a part of him. Mahado felt the same way, and could not bear to loose Yugi. Anzu was absolutely frightened. She stood leaning against Mahado, her hand over her mouth. She, most of all, was worried about Yugi. Seeing him over there, hanging on to dear life, was almost unbearable to look at.

"Lean back!" Seto commanded, so that now both of their backs were arched, making the rock beneath them also tilt back. "Right, now, lean forward!" As they leaned forward toward the other Fellowship members, so did the loose stairs. When the one side clashed with the other, Seto grabbed Yugi and jumped. Both made it to the other side just as the loose stairs started to lean to its side. Taking a second's look back, the Fellowship then ran down the rest of the flight of stairs. The free stairs collapsed with the side of the chamber, breaking it in two, and then landed with a loud thud on the ground below.

The Fellowship was off of the staircase now. As they ran through a second chamber that led to the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm, they found a large trail of fire blocking them from going in the opposite direction. They now had no choice but to go over the bridge, their only means of escape. Behind the gate of fire, in another chamber, the glow of the Tyrant Dragon was right upon them. Another thunderous roar came from the fire.

Mahado turned toward the fire and glared hatefully at it. He knew that it was coming now. Suddenly, the flames of the fire grew larger, reaching up toward the high ceiling. There was another loud roar. Mahado braced himself, not once moving back in fear. Then, arising from the fire itself, the Tyrant Dragon emerged.

It was enormous. Though not having what appeared to be very hard scales, the fire that surrounded its skin would have blocked any man-made weapon. The scales of its body were a dark brown, while its underbelly appeared to be a lighter mix of brown and purple. Jumping from the fire, it landed in front of Mahado on all four feet, which flexed with hard muscles. Keeping its wings to its body, it lowered its head to stare face-to-face with the Egyptian wizard. Its long snout stopped at about an inch from Mahado's face. Mahado did not flinch as he stared into its green eyes.

Drawing back its head a few feet, it took in a breath and roared with all of its might, which sounded like a thousand jet engines taking off at the same time. Mahado could see inside its mouth as it roared in his face and could see the blaze of molten hot lava in the Tyrant Dragon's throat and the sharp, long teeth that were feet away from his body. The heat that blew against his face was almost unbearable to take. Though Mahado was very scared, for this was his greatest fear, his passion to protect his friends burned harder than the fire inside of the Tyrant Dragon. He refused to show any fear to this monstrous beast.

The Fellowship heard the roar of the dragon and turned around just as they were to cross the bridge. When they saw the dragon staring at Mahado, who was far behind them, every single one of them wanted to fetch him and bring him to safety. But as the dragon completed its long cry, it started to pursuit them. Mahado turned around and started to run, signaling to the others to do so, as well. Turning once again toward the bridge, only with a fearful churning in their stomachs, they proceeded to run. The dragon was right behind them, howling up a storm, the fire around it simmering angrily. As the feet of the dragon stepped down to the floor, the ground shook, and it left a trail of fiery foot steps as it walked.

Mahado had, by now, caught up with the Fellowship. They were all almost across the bridge. Looking down as he ran across it, Yugi saw that he could not see the bottom below him. This made him more anxious to run across safely. But, the Tyrant Dragon had almost made it to the edge of the cliff.

When the dragon did make it to the edge, Mahado was halfway across the narrow bridge. Realizing that there was no way for him to continue, Mahado turned fiercely around to face his fear.

Yugi made it to the other side. He turned around to see who still had to make it, and that's when he saw Mahado facing the Tyrant Dragon. His heart leaped, and his adrenaline rushed through his veins like ice. "Mahado, no!" He cried, but the magician did not seem to hear him.

"You can not pass!" Mahado yelled at the Tyrant Dragon. As if challenging Mahado's command, the dragon snorted, and then reared on its strong hind legs. Spreading out its wings fully, it roared at the top of its lungs. The fire around its body burned even fiercer, creating a bright, red glow. The dragon gripped its claws threateningly, also challenging Mahado to make a move. Mahado pointed his staff at the fierce dragon, "Servant of the Sacred Fire, Wielder of the Flame of the Underworld, the Dark Fire will not avail you!" Mahado held up his staff, making it glow with a bright white light. He also drew his sword from its sheath. At the same time, the Tyrant Dragon opened its mouth, and the molten lava glow grew hotter as it prepared to strike.

The Fellowship gasped as Mahado was suddenly surrounded by a purple glow. He seemed to be chanting a spell of some sort. "Now, meet the Ka of your destruction!" Mahado announced at the Tyrant Dragon, "The Servant of the Pharaoh, DARK MAGICIAN!" The purple light around Mahado separated from him and floated above his head. The light grew stronger and stronger until even the Tyrant Dragon had to look away, though it still prepared to strike. When the light faded, the Dark Magician, in all of its purple robes and its green staff at hand, appeared.

Just as it formed, the Tyrant Dragon struck. The fire that erupted from its mouth was white, it was so hot. Aimed at Mahado, the fire of the Tyrant Dragon burned through the air. But just as it was about to hit Mahado, the Dark Magician cast a spell that blocked the searing flames with a barrier of purple light. For moments, the dragon continued to fire, but the shield did not lift. The dragon stopped, expecting to see a burnt body, but roared in frustration when it saw Mahado standing there unharmed. Then it saw the Ka above Mahado's head and growled. Never before had it stood up against a Ka worthy of blocking its flame.

The dragon struck again, this time, at the Dark Magician, but he was ready. Using his dark magic, the Dark Magician created another barrier, only wrapped it around the fire instead of his master or himself. Compressed, and with no air, the fire blew up in an explosion inside the orb. The Dark Magician released the hold on the fire just as it stopped incinerating.

Then the Ka decided to take some action of his own. Pointing its staff at the Tyrant Dragon, which had been shocked that its fire had been stopped, the Ka cried, "Dark Magic Attack!" In its cry, all of the Ka's, as well as Mahado's, anger fueled the attack to be strong. When the blast, which looked like black energy, hit the dragon, it roared in pain. Mahado smirked as the Tyrant Dragon faltered for a second. But the dragon healed itself quickly and stood up in strength again. It blew fire from its nose in anger, and the air around the dragon suddenly got hotter.

"Go back to the shadows!" Mahado growled at the Tyrant Dragon. Even angrier now, the dragon blew fire out of its nose again. Putting one heavy foot on the weak bridge, the dragon moved ever so closer. Yugi gasped as the dragon stepped toward Mahado. '_If that dragon gets any closer, the whole bridge could collapse!_' Yugi thought to himself. As if to try and prevent it, Yugi started to run back to the bridge, but the other hobbits grabbed his sleeves and held him back. Struggling to be released, Yugi cried, "Mahado!" over and over, pleading him to stop. Mahado glanced at Yugi and smiled, as if he had just gained more strength.

The dragon shot fire once again, only it was like a long, thin rope coming from its mouth. The whip-like fire aimed at the Dark Magician, but the Ka blocked.

Mahado grasped both his sword and his staff and held them together. "YOU," He screamed, "SHALL NOT PASS!" With that, he slammed his staff and sword to the ground. As the staff hit the bridge's surface, a bright light sparked from the tip. The Tyrant Dragon drew back a bit, expecting some big light show or painful strike, but soon realized that there was no such thing. The dragon seemed to smirk as it snorted. Taking another step forward, it produced the fire whip again from its mouth and slashed at the Dark Magician and Mahado.

But before its whip could touch them, the rock underneath the dragon collapsed. Roaring in surprise, the dragon started to fall to the mercy of gravity. The whip disappeared as the dragon tried desperately to flap its fiery wings. But, it was face up, and could not gain the chance to hover. Soon, the dragon fell into the darkness, and not even the flames on its body could be seen.

Mahado sighed in relief. As he stood there on the edge of the bridge, he looked down into the darkness and felt a lift in his spirit. He had done it. He had conquered his fears. He looked up and smiled at the Dark Magician. The Ka nodded its head in a small bow, and then disappeared in a flash of light.

Yugi also felt relieved. Mahado was safe. That was all that mattered. He started to smile, but then screamed as the fiery whip of the Tyrant Dragon shot up from the darkness. And this time, the Dark Magician was not there to protect Mahado.

The fire whip grabbed Mahado's ankle. With the force of the dragon falling down, and the whip burning into his skin, Mahado let go of his staff and sword and fell to the edge. Just at the last moment, his hands caught the edge of the broken bridge. The whip let go and disappeared once again into the darkness.

Yugi couldn't stand there, watching Mahado hang on for his life. His fear gave him strength to be released from his friends. Yugi tried to run further, but Selendrills were once again shooting arrows at him. Atem had run forward and caught Yugi before he could go any further. Atem was strong enough to hold Yugi back as he struggled to be released.

"MAHADO!" He cried with all of his might. Mahado was weak. His body was tired and did not have the strength to pull him up. After a few futile struggles to climb up and safely make it out, he realized that his time had come. He held on to the edge and looked at everyone's terrified faces, especially Yugi's and Atem's. With his eyes full of fear and understanding, he smiled.

"I will always be with you." These were his last words before letting go of the bridge and falling into the dark mountain's shadow, following the Tyrant Dragon to death.

"NO!" Yugi yelled as Atem grabbed him and pulled him to the exit staircase. His heart, by now, had shattered.

Seto stood there, rigid with shock. Mahado was gone. There was no doubt about it. But as much as he wanted to stand there and grieve, he knew that he had to go on. He had a strong heart, and knew that the others would need to be guided though the rest of the journey. Their grief would definitely get in the way of their knowledge and thoughts. From behind, Boromir had grabbed the other hobbits and was dragging them away from the sight.

"Kaiba!" Boromir yelled, trying to wake Seto from his reverie. He took one last, long look at the bridge, and then went on. As he ran, hundreds of Selendrills crawled out of their hiding places and started to once again shoot arrows at him. Seto dodged the shots, and then followed the others up the last staircase of Moria.

They were out.

As they exited Moria, they came out to a rocky cliff of the mountain. What was left of the Fellowship ran for some distance, and then spread apart to grieve for Mahado.

The hobbits gathered together and grasped hands. Anzu sat down heavily and stroked her hands through her hair. She could not believe it. She _wouldn't_ believe it. Mahado had sacrificed himself for their safe passage. She had known Mahado most of her life, since she had known Yugi, and as the warm tears streaked down her face and she cried freely, her heart ached at the thought of never seeing Mahado again.

Hiroto couldn't help but think that this was his entire fault. How could he have let his stupidity take him over? If it hadn't been for him . . . Otogi was sad, too. Though he hadn't known Mahado as well as Yugi or Anzu, he had still grown close to him. And now, that was all over.

Jonouchi, too, had not known Mahado well. But, he had been so respectful of the magician who had taken all of his suggestions into consideration. If only he hadn't suggested to go into Moria! If only he had kept his mouth shut for a change! But it was all over now. Jonouchi gripped his axe in complete anger and grief. Boromir was feeling just the same, except for suggesting Moria.

Atem stood a ways away from everyone. Unlike everyone else, even Yugi, Mahado had been with Atem since he had been _born_, and quite literally. Mahado had protected him from every aspect that threatened him. In his service to the older Pharaoh, Atem's father, he had become best friends with him. Even now, as he died, he was protecting Atem. '_Mahado . . . **why**?_' Atem thought desperately. Never again would he see his friend and magician again. The thought ripped apart his skin, and Atem fell to the ground and cried.

Though Seto was sad, he was the leader of the Fellowship now, under Mahado's instruction. He _had_ to stay strong, if not for everyone else, for himself. He grabbed a cloth from his pocket and cleaned the Selendrill blood off of his sword. Turning toward Atem, and sheathing his sword, he began his commands.

"Atem," He called, "Get them up." Atem stared blindingly around, as if he did not know where the voice had come from. But then he understood, nodded, and walked over to Anzu. He shook her gently and she looked up. He could see the pain in her eyes, so much like his pain. Pulling her to her feet, he guided Anzu as they walked.

"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" Boromir yelled hoarsely at Seto. Tears streamed down his face.

"By nightfall, these hills and mountains will be swarming with Selendrills! We must reach the woods of Lothlórien!" Seto angrily pointed out. He glared at Boromir as the soldier took a step toward him.

"Really, now?" Boromir spitefully asked, "And who made _you_ the boss?"

Seto paused for a moment and then answered, "Mahado." Boromir was taken aback, but made no further comment. "Now," Seto continued, "Boromir, Atem, Jonouchi! Get them up!" Jonouchi went over and helped Hiroto up while Boromir helped Otogi. Atem already had Anzu.

"Yugi?" Seto called, looking around for where Yugi had gotten off to. For all he knew, Yugi had committed suicide by now. Then he spotted Yugi stumbling across the rocky hill that they were on, blindly staring out at the land below. "Yugi!" He called more loudly. Slowly, Yugi turned to face Seto.

His eyes were red. He, along with Atem, had been the closest to Mahado. When he had seen Mahado let go of the bridge, his heart had broken in two. Mahado had defeated the Tyrant Dragon, but the dragon's revenge had taken Mahado to his death. _"I will always be with you . . ."_ These words sounded over and over in Yugi's head, as if to torture him. The sight of Mahado letting go of the rock ledge played continuously over Yugi's eyes. He couldn't get them out of his head. '_MAHADO!_' Yugi screamed mentally. He was in too much grief to do anything. Not even tears could express the sadness he was in. He felt as if his life had ended.

**Oh, my goodness! Do you know how long this is on my word document! TWELVE PAGES! Over 6000 words! That's got to be the longest chapter I've ever written, and they only get longer later on! I'm sorry for those of you who like Mahado. It is a very sad part, and I hope I've written it well enough. I've had a couple of questions about my writing skills lately. Sometimes I think I describe things too much. If you have any suggestions about the way I write, or the way you would like me to write (am I doing anything wrong?) tell me in your review. And PLEASE review! I know some of you aren't, but for those who do, thanks so much! I would like to get to 100 reviews, please. Tell me what you also think of the chapter! R&R, but no flames please?**


	31. Isis and Lothlórien

**Author's Note:** My, have I been gone for a while. I am _soooooo_ sorry for not updating in like a week! I went to Colorado for a week, and was basically kept busy 24/7. I never knew that there was so much to do there! Not to mention, I have to have my dad's fingerprint to log on to his laptop, so that was a pain. It's not like I can chop off his hand or anything. I have to get him to do it . . . But, luckily, I will be getting a new laptop of my own this weekend, with the fingerprint reader and all for MYSELF! No one will be able to get onto it! (Laughs happily) Anyway, there were great reviews last chapter, so I would like to thank Isis the Sphinx, Angel Gunner Lenne, Hydro-Wolf, Sora Miyara, and brat-always-day-and-night (cool name!), and "unknown" (Sorry that you're so busy! I'm glad you reviewed, though! See you in school!) for your heart-lifting comments! So now I'm on chapter 32. Wow! I can't believe I'm that far! Well, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 32: Isis and Lothlórien

Once the warriors had gathered the hobbits' courage together, they set off. Running down the steep, rocky hills of the mountain, they moved along silently. No one really wanted to speak. It felt very strange to feel Mahado's absence, considering that they had been with him since the beginning of their journey, or longer. Mahado had been their guide, their savior, their wise magician, and their friend. Loosing someone like that could not easily be forgotten. But, Seto was an extraordinary leader, and led the Fellowship through the precipitous mountain side safely without any encounters with Selendrills.

Finally, they reached the bottom of the mountain to find a hill and boulder-covered field with small piles of snow and a clear, yet blue, creek covering it. Running ahead, Seto plunged into the shallow creek, which only went up to his ankles. He ran through the brook effortlessly and then climbed the hill that blocked his view ahead.

Standing atop the tall, grassy hill, Seto gazed out into the distance and observed his surroundings. Behind him, the other Fellowship members started to cross the rivulet. A slight, cool breeze washed over his face as he smiled at what he saw. There, in the distance, were hills upon hills covered in green, healthy trees.

The woods of Lothlórien.

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When the Fellowship reached the edge of the woods, their hearts quickened. Before the forest was a flat, grassy area that provided no cover what so ever. It made them feel open and exposed, their movement like a signal for enemies to attack. So, as they approached the border, the Fellowship longed to run into the protective and shadowy forest.

As they all entered, they found themselves surrounded by tall and very old trees. The sun's gleaming light still shined through the canopy of the trees' leaves, but yet a shadow hung over them that could not be lifted. The ground was covered in soft, green grass and golden leaves that had fallen from the trees. The trees themselves were enormous, almost reaching three stories high. The bark that surrounded them was mixed in the colors of brown, gold, green from moss, black, and a shadow of faint purple. Leaves that were weak and could not hold onto the tree's branches constantly fell to the ground, like how rose petals fall to the ground behind the bride at a wedding ceremony.

Traveling through the forest of Lothlórien, the Fellowship members could feel a strange presence. It was like they were being watched. Whether by the trees or by an unknown presence, they did not know. There was also the feeling of old age. It was as if the forest was talking to them through the air. There was just this feeling of knowledge and wisdom from ancient eyes. It was like the forest itself had seen many things, maybe even too many, and knew the way of life itself.

"Stay close, you guys!" Jonouchi whispered loudly to the hobbits as he turned around. Obeying his command, the four little hobbits huddled closer and traveled in the middle of the group. As they continued to walk, Jonouchi continued to whisper to them, "Dey say dat a great sorceress lives in dees woods. An Elf-witch . . . of terrible power. Everyone who looks at her falls under her spell, and are never seen again."

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, Yugi felt as if someone else had suddenly stepped beside him. '_Yugi . . ._' A whisper came to his ear. Yugi turned around sharply to see who had spoken his name, but when he looked in the direction of the voice, he could find no one.

Yugi chose to ignore the voice and walked on. But as he walked, his vision suddenly changed, and instead of seeing the encasing forest, he saw a woman surrounded by a white light. She had tan skin, just like Atem's and Mahado's, and straight, jet-black hair with a gold headband wrapped around the top of it, holding a green jewel that hung exactly in the middle of her forehead. Her dress was that of lightweight cotton, the collar hanging onto the outer part of her shoulders, like the shape of a boat. The dress was white, almost blending in with the light that surrounded her. The ends of her sleeves hung to the ground, like Critiàsa's, and the bottom of her dress covered her feet and seemed to drag behind her. The dress's only feature was what looked like a symbol of an eye on the bottom section, identical to the one on Atem's pendant. Around her neck was a gold necklace with the very same eye symbol. Her azure eyes burned into Yugi's as he gasped at the sight. In those eyes, he saw wisdom of many ages and an unknown sensation that made Yugi's adrenaline pump frantically. The feeling was too much that he had to look away from them.

'_Your coming to us is as the footsteps of doom._' Yugi heard the whisper come again. He thought it was the woman in front of him, but her lips had not moved. Nevertheless, her eyes revealed all, and Yugi found that she was talking to him telepathically. '_You bring great evil here, Ring-bearer._'

Anzu noticed that Yugi had stopped in his tracks. Walking up to his side, she looked at his face. His features all requested that he was in some sort of shock, yet in awe. When she gazed deep into his violet eyes, she noticed that they were totally blank and lifeless, as if he were dead standing up. This sight sent shivers down her spine, and she prepared herself to wake Yugi out of his strange reverie.

"Yugi?" She quietly attempted to wake him. At the sound of her voice, Yugi blinked twice and when Anzu looked at his eyes again, they were back to their normal, cheerful state. Though, Anzu noted, they seemed dimmer than usual. '_It's Mahado's death_,' She sadly thought to herself.

Yugi looked around confusedly, wondering where he was, but then he saw Anzu staring at him in a worried way. He didn't know what to say to her. What _could_ he say? That he had just seen a strange woman appear before his eyes and tell him that he was troublesome? He didn't want to freak her out, and there was also the possibility of her thinking he had gone mental. In the end, he decided to just stare wonderingly back at her, and them press on into the woods. As he walked on, he felt a pain of guilt in his side at the sight of Anzu's shocked face.

During all of the confusion, though, Jonouchi was still continuing to talk, "Well, here's one man she won't enchant so easily," He pounded his hand on his chest and smirked, "I have da eyes of a hawk an' ears of a fox!"

Almost as soon as he finished talking, Jonouchi opened his eyes to see ahead of him, but only screamed and jumped away three steps back. The other Fellowship members also stopped in their tracks at the sight of many arrow heads aimed at their foreheads by cloaked figures.

"Oh, boy," Jonouchi murmured at he stared at the arrow's tip three inches away from his nose.

Yugi also backed away when another arrow was pointed at him. His fear rose as he looked around at their attackers. It seemed that they were surrounded by men cloaked in white robes, their faces hidden in the shadows of their hoods. He could feel Anzu grab his arm in fright tightly, and he twitched at the strength of her grip. He moved closer to her while glaring at the robed men.

Yugi looked around at his friends to see their situations as he glared. Otogi had two arrows aimed at him on either side of his forehead, and he looked at each of them frantically. Hiroto was rigid with shock, unable to move his body in fear of hitting the sharp arrow pointed at his cheek. Jonouchi was spinning around, trying to find an exit between the gate that was the white-robed men. He was spinning very fast, due to the case of nervous and shocked jitters. Boromir was doing the same thing as Otogi. Atem had reacted fast, and now had his bow and arrow strung in a challenge for the enemies to attack. In his case, it was a Mexican standoff.

Seto was unnerved by the sudden possible attack. He stood there calmly and relaxed, not moving a muscle, yet every part of his soul aching to attack. Unlike his fellow travelers, instead of panicking, he went over his thoughts and tried to think of a way out of the current predicament. Suddenly, a thought came to him. Seto glared square on at the cloaked man in front of him, putting all of his hate, anger, and challenging attitude into his cold glare, hoping against hope that it would make the man falter. Unfortunately, he never moved, and continued to aim for the unwanted forest guests. '_Heh . . . You want to play rough, hmm?_' Seto thought, preparing to strike.

But just as he was about to reach for his sheathed sword, Seto noticed that the white-robed men were starting to part to make a gap in the surrounding circle. From the aisle that the men made, one purple cloaked figure approached them. When he was about a foot away from them all, the purple-cloaked man lowered his hood, which had a strange eye symbol on it. The man's face was now exposed.

His skin was tan, identical to Mahado's, as if the shadows of the Lothlórien woods didn't block the sun from hitting him. His hair was unusually a sandy blonde, neatly laying on his head, yet billowing out in different directions, the length of it at his shoulders. His lavender eyes moved from one to another of the Fellowship, observing the threat of his kind. His dark purple robe held on to him tightly until it reached his lower half, where it blew back as if a breeze were brushing it, yet there was none. A gold collar gripped his neck and lower arms, and a gold chain stuck out of where his clavicle was under his robe. In his hand was what appeared to be a gold rod with a circular orb on top with blade-like objects sticking out from either side and the same golden eye as the one on Atem's puzzle in the middle.

Yugi watched as the man, who seemed to be the leader of their assailants, put his hard gaze upon him. Yugi held the man's gaze, but his courage was futile against the blond-haired man. The man took his eyes off Yugi and continued to look around. When he saw Jonouchi, he smirked and chuckled a bit.

"A dwarf, or anyone closely related to one, can breathe so loud, we could have shot him in the dark," He commented smartly. Jonouchi looked at the leader and glared at him, insulted by his comment.

"Hey, I'm no dwarf! I'm a man!" Jonouchi retorted. The man just lowered his head and chuckled again.

"Hence, the 'anyone closely related' part," He retorted, making Jonouchi growl like a dog.

When the man had lowered his hood, Seto had recognized him immediately. When the leader was done with taunting Jonouchi, which he hated to put to a halt, Seto walked over to the man and nodded his head in greeting. The leader looked over at Seto and nodded back.

"_Malik Ishtar of Lorien_," Seto greeted the man, Malik, in the Elvin language. Nodding once again, Malik perked his head to the side quizzically.

"_What brings you here to the woods of Lothlórien, Seto? You are the last person I would have expected to encounter in these parts_," Malik asked him back in Elvin as well.

"_As much as I hate to admit it_," Malik could see the regret on his face as he spoke, "_We've come here for Your Queen's assistance_."

Malik was surprised. "_What is it exactly that you ask for?_" He pressed. He could see how hard this was for Seto to say.

"_Protection_," He answered back simply. But almost as soon as he finished, Jonouchi whimpered when another arrow was aimed at him.

"Um . . . not dat I mean ta be rude or anythin' –"

"Yet you are!" Seto shot back, only to receive another glare from Jonouchi. Then he ignored the interruption and continued.

"Dees woods aren't safe. We should go back, if you ask me," He finished defiantly, but Seto glared at him even more fiercely.

"The last time we asked you, Mahado ended up dead," He shot at Jonouchi, who twitched at the statement and became quiet once more. Seto turned back to Malik.

"You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood, Isis Ishtar," Malik told Jonouchi in particular. Then he faced everyone. "You can not go back." As he spoke, his gaze fell upon Yugi once more. Yugi felt a chill crawl up his spine as he looked into the man's amethyst orbs. As he received more chills in his skin, he felt like his thoughts were being searched, like his mind was being read. Yugi once again returned the man's gaze. Malik chuckled at the hobbit's courage. "Come, she is waiting," He finished. Without another word, Malik turned around and gracefully walked through the forest. The cloaked men around them lowered their weapons and urged them forward. Left without any other choice, the Fellowship followed Malik into the depths of the mysterious woods.

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As the group walked on, the Fellowship members found themselves getting bored, despite the fact that they were still surrounded by hostile men. The hobbits all gathered together, while the men joined behind them. Seto was up further, talking quietly with Malik.

"I just have a sneaking suspicion that they're up to something," Hiroto growled under his breath, his eyes on Seto and Malik up ahead.

"They do seem to know each other," Anzu agreed, but in a cautious way. Nowadays, she didn't know who was friend or foe. "But still, that doesn't mean something bad is going to happen. You just have to have a bit of faith, Hiroto, and hope for the best."

Hiroto snorted. "Leave it to Anzu to believe anyone without suspicion . . ." He murmured to himself, not meaning to let anyone else hear him.

Anzu's expression became aggravated. "I heard that!" She yelled loudly at him, making a few of the guards around them glance in their direction. Yugi immediately put himself between them as to stop the fighting.

"Knock it off, you two!" He whispered, "You're attracting too much attention!"

Further ahead from the hobbits, Seto glanced back as he heard Anzu's yell. '_Great, they're _still_ ignoring me when I told them to stay quiet. Just what I need right now_,' He thought with a grimace.

"So the Ring has emerged, your Kas are revealed, Mahado has died, and you press on to Helmosore none the less," Malik summed up the story Seto had just told him, "Do you realize how much danger this puts our people in, bringing the Ring here?"

Seto nodded, "But it was our only choice," He paused for a moment and a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes, "Unless you would have preferred us to bring a pack of Selendrills chasing us on our tails with us. In which case, I'm terribly sorry," He sarcastically apologized. Malik smirked at the comment.

"No, I suppose you had no other choice. I just curse Ra for placing our forest in your path of travel," Malik sighed.

"So what do you suppose we do?" Seto asked.

"That is for Isis to decide. Just because I am her brother, it gives me no right to take her matters into my own hands . . ."

At that moment, though, Seto felt warmth touch him. He looked in front of him to see that the sunset's last friendly rays were blasting through the tree's leaves and hitting the traveling group head on. As his eyes became adjusted to the light, Seto noticed that signs of civilization had started to appear around them. They started to climb stone steps that blended into the golden dirt and pure green grass perfectly. Fountains of elves, stone benches, and even buildings were soon around them, the sun's golden rays making them all seem so alive with texture.

When they reached the top of the stairs, they stood in front of a large tree that had its bark carved off to reveal a white, smooth surface of wood. Around the tree was a large staircase that wound up to the top, which was an unsighted destination because of the tree's height. Malik proceeded up the stairway without hesitation, followed by Seto, Atem, and Otogi. The others watched as those four climbed, but Malik noticed that they were alone. Turning back, he beckoned his hand for them to follow. Yugi nodded and turned toward his friends.

"We have to go," He said simply, and the others nodded and followed everyone else up the stairs. Yugi noticed that the white-cloaked men were not with them now, but had stayed on the ground. He could not help but sigh in relief at their departure. Now Yugi readied himself for the task ahead confidently.

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The Fellowship and Malik had been traveling up the stairs for as long as they could remember. By now it was nightfall, and the city of Lorien around them was very clear indeed. In the trees around them, with their bark carved off in the same way, many branches poked out to support houses that balanced on them. Lights illuminated from inside, a pure white light of hope.

Yugi saw that all of the people here were as tanned skinned as Malik was. '_That just must be how people are born here, like how hobbits are born in the Shire_,' Yugi thought to himself. But at the thought of the Shire, he was overcome by homesickness. He missed the fields and the green forests. He missed the parties held every night at the Greed Dragon, how he would sit at the bar and talk to Anzu as she cleaned glasses. Why had he been chosen for this task? Why _him_ out of all of the others in the world? And why a hobbit in the first place? A man would have been much stronger than him, but yet here he was, climbing the longest staircase in his life to see a Witch Queen, the Ring bouncing around his neck as he moved.

"_All we have to do is to decide what to do with the time that is given to us."_

Mahado's words rang through his head loud and clear. This made Yugi grip his hands tightly with determination. He had to stay strong, if not for his friends and Mahado, for the entire world. He would conquer any challenge given to him. He _had_ to.

By the time he was finished with these thoughts, Malik and the Fellowship had finally climbed to the top of the staircase. Now, in front of him, was what appeared to be a small palace hanging from yet another of the tree's branches. The palace's walls were not fully solid, with elegant holes and gashes carved out so that it looked like a spider's web. Light almost unbearably strong emanated from the inside of the glorious building. Yugi thought it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his entire life.

They all walked up to the front of the palace, each having fearful or hopeful thoughts in their minds. Seto stood in front of the group, his head held high and his eyes revealing that he was determined as they all waited for the arrival of Isis Ishtar, the queen of this elegant world.

Yugi was admiring the architecture of this wonderfully built building as they stood there and waited patiently. As they waited, Yugi's thoughts reeled through his head at a fast pace. He hoped with all of his might that the Witch Queen was nice. The last thing they needed was a ruler that saw them all as a threat. He looked at his fellow travelers and saw that they all had the same look on their face: anxiety, nervousness, and hope. Seto seemed to be the only one who knew what was going on around them, but Yugi wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

But just as Yugi had entranced himself by staring at a piece of fine-worked statue, the light emitting from the palace seemed to be become brighter. He immediately looked at the it, but soon had to turn his head away from the powerful brightness. Everyone else around looked away, too. When it dimmed a bit, Yugi looked back at the top of the steps that led to the palace's inside rooms. He gasped as he saw who stood there.

It was the woman he had visualized in the woods before. With her white dress, tan skin, black hair, headband, and golden necklace, she stood in glory over her guests. It was hard, though, to see her features, thanks to the light behind her that made the front side of her body a shadow-like figure. But, nonetheless, anyone could tell that she contained incredible power.

Malik ran up to her right side immediately, avoiding another man with tan skin, shoulder length black hair, and brown eyes on her left. Slowly, all three of them descended the steps to stand but one step from the ground that the Fellowship stood on. Some members of the Fellowship gasped in awe at her, while others were too lost for words to even speak. Anzu in particular was amazed at Isis' elegance.

Unexpectedly, the unknown man standing beside Isis spoke instead of Isis herself. "Eight that are here, yet nine there were set out from Rivendell," Some were confused by the way he mixed up the sentence's words to put emphasis on them, "Tell me, where is Mahado? For I much desire to speak with him."

As the man spoke, Isis moved her azure orbs around and stared into each of the Fellowship members' eyes. When her eyes fell upon Yugi, who faltered a bit under her gaze, she looked deep into his soul to find what sadness lingered within his violet ones. She was taken aback by the memories that the small boy held within his mind. She gasped and put her hand on the eye of her necklace. Everyone turned their gaze to Isis in startle, but kept quiet as she closed her eyes. The eye of her necklace started to glow a bright, golden color. When Isis reopened her eyes, it was clear that she was shocked and sad.

"He has fallen into shadow . . ." She quietly explained. The Fellowship nodded, each in turn. Yugi lowered his head and one single tear fell to the floor. Isis noticed this and continued her speech, more loudly now, "The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little, and it will fail to the ruin of all." As she spoke, Isis stared into the eyes of all that surrounded her, and when she looked away, they twitched and looked down at their feet. When her eyes fell on Boromir, she narrowed them into slits. Boromir started to shake, turning his head as if to look away, but still looking at Isis. When she continued to gaze at him, he cried out quietly in a sobbing way and looked down at the floor. Yugi wondered about his action, but took no more note of it as Isis started to speak again.

"Yet, hope remains," She looked at Anzu, who gazed admiringly back at her, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest, for you are weary from your travels and have lost much that was dear to you. Tonight, you will sleep in peace."

Then she turned her cerulean eyes to Yugi, and yet another chill went up his spine. Then he heard a faint whisper in his head, like his conscience was trying to speak with him. But, Yugi soon realized that it was Isis's voice. When he heard what she spoke telepathically to him, his shock and fear rose tremendously and made him take in a shaky, frightened breath.

'_Welcome, Yugi Mutou of the Shire, one who has seen The Eye . . ._'

**Wow, yet another long chapter, but not as long as the previous one. I'm glad about that. My fingers hurt! For some reason, my line thing isn't working, so you get a bunch of S's. Sorry! Once again, I am sorry for not updating in a while, but you have to get used to it. School's starting on the 21st, and I'll be studying nonstop again. Joy to my world . . . R&R, but no flames please?**


	32. Camping At Lórien

**Author's Note:** So many great reviews, once again! I feel like I'm drowning in them, there's so many! So, I just want to give one big THANK-YOU! Seriously, I'm living at this computer now, with this story and such. Your reviews make it all worthwhile, since I don't get money or prizes and etc.

And for those who _still_ haven't reviewed, but are reading this, get to it! I would really appreciate it. You just let me know that there are more people out there who care about this story that I'm writing. It's not like I'm going to bite your head off or anything (as if I could!), so don't fret and HIT THE STUPID REVIEW BUTTON! For those who did review, I will calmly say thank-you to Hydro-Wolf, Isis the Sphinx, Angel Gunner Lenne, "Dark Sorceress of the Nile", and "unknown" (so your sister's reading it now? Awesome! I feel like a real, live author! And congrats on the SAT stuff and marching band. That was a pain, wasn't it?). And I'm done ranting now. Enjoy the story!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 33: Camping At Lórien

Below the white-barked trees in Lórien, a beautiful clearing sat in the dim moonlight of the city. The trees' roots all surrounded the clearing, but ducked underground for the stairs that led up to the higher levels of the city, in loops of gracefulness. The roots all created little makeshift caves that could be used for sleeping and whatnot. Stone benches and statues made by the people of Lórien to the brink of their abilities surrounded the clearing, and a fountain filled with clear, refreshing water stood in the middle.

It was here that the Fellowship made camp. They set up wooden poles in squares and laid sheets on them to act as tents, each for a different group. The hobbits sat under one, putting all of their belongings in place as they set up camp. Atem, being an Egyptian pharaoh and all, had his own private tent, and Jonouchi, Boromir, and Seto, much to his dismay, shared the last.

Atem rose from the tree root he was sitting at under is royal tent. He bent down and picked up an elegant, silver vase that sat below the fountain. He dipped the vase into the clear water that was falling from the edges of its rim and into the pool below it so that he could get some of it to drink. When he turned around to go back to his tent, he paused and looked up at the tree-covered sky.

Yugi noticed this as he leaned his back against the rear of a root cave. He had been staring into space, thinking about Mahado. He had never really had a chance to grieve for him because they had continued their journey as soon as they exited Moria. _Moria_. He hated that word now. It now symbolized the anger and grief for Mahado, for the sadness of his heart and for the loss of his best friend. He missed Mahado so much. '_Why, Mahado?_' Yugi thought as a single tear fell from his cheek, '_Why did you have to leave us? We could have saved you, but you chose **our** safety instead. I'll never forgive myself!_' But as Atem paused in his tracks, Yugi was awoken from his reverie.

"What is it, Atem?" Yugi quietly asked. Without turning to look at him, he continued to look around him. But now, he was looking at the white-lit houses that the people of Lórien lived.

"They are lamenting Mahado . . ." Atem murmured back, but loud enough for everyone to hear. Otogi heard this and turned from ordering his clothes.

"What are they saying about him?" He asked. Yugi held his breath as Atem sighed deeply.

"That, I dare not say. I don't have the heart to tell you. The grief is still too near . . ." As he spoke, he voice cracked slightly, revealing his grief for his former High Priest. Yugi could see a shining in his eyes and realized that Atem was silently crying. '_I am not the only one who misses him_,' Yugi thought to himself, watching Atem return to the inside of his tent.

Seto sat alone in his tent, staring at a distance unseen. Jonouchi had gone to sit with the hobbits, and Boromir was who knew where. Not that he minded. He preferred to be alone. That was how he had grown up, with him being a "Ranger" and all. From that past, it was in his instincts to separate himself from the groups that he was surrounded by.

But, as he sat upon a stray tree root shaped like a make-shift chair, his hands fell upon the crystal dragon pendant that he wore. Carefully, he pulled it off of himself and held it in his hands with all of the delicacy he could muster. '_Okay, so I lied_,' he thought to himself as he rubbed his thumb across the dragon's head's smooth surface. He felt it faintly pulse through his fingers as he gazed at the sparkle it gave off in the candle light of the tent.

Critiàsa's spirit lived within this beautiful pendant. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon's life force and power resided in it, and in return, so did Critiàsa's. But, no, now that power was Seto's. She had given the dragon to him, in order to insure his safety. Her words echoed through the back of his mind as he continued to look at the Ka's sanctuary item:

"_That pendant contains my power, like the Ring contains Bakura's. The Blue-Eyes will protect you, as well as give you that strength and power. I am the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. I will always be with you."_

'_So technically, I'm not alone. Critiàsa and her dragon are with me._' And he was surprisingly not discomforted by this. As he thought this, the pulses from the pendant grew a bit stronger, and Seto thought that he heard the triumphant roar of the Ka itself. He smirked inwardly.

The Blue-Eyes White Dragon was a powerful Ka, he knew. One of the most powerful that probably existed, but he was not sure. For all he knew, the legendary Ra was a Ka. '_I would have thought Ra would have taken refuge with Atem, but he has the Black Luster Soldier. I guess that means that his heart is one of a warrior and not of mystical legend. But, what exactly does a dragon's Ka stand for?_' He went over these thoughts for a while. What _did_ a dragon stand for? Warriors were a symbol of bravery, no doubt about that. Dragons were much more complicated. I just depended on the dragon. '_Well, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon is a bringer of light, so does my Ka symbolize light? But . . . it is also glorious, proud, ferocious, destructive . . . Any one if those could be the identification._' He mused over these thoughts for a while, racking his brain to find the answer. But since the pulses got stronger when he thought of Light, he just went with that at the moment. After all, it was the Blue-Eyes _White_ Dragon, and its attack looked like _white_ lightning. It all made sense.

Seto prized his Ka more than anything. More than his reputation, title, pride, sword, or anything else close to him. The dragon had been given to him as a gift, as a sign of trust. There was no way he would let Critiàsa's Ka get hurt in anyway. He vowed that he would put himself in front of the dragon in order to protect it. If the dragon were injured, it would break his heart, as well as Critiàsa's. So, in the end, both he and the dragon would protect each other in unison, shielding one another from danger and creating a force so strong, no one would stand in their way.

It was during the end of these thoughts that Boromir suddenly pulled back the curtain blocking the inside of the tent from further view and entered. Seto looked up slowly and observed the man quietly. His face was covered in sweat, his brow creased in a worried way, and he was pacing around the tent feverishly like a thousand Selendrills were about to attack any minute. He did not look well at all.

Borormir sighed loudly and sat on the floor, where his "bed" lied. Seto continued to watch as the brown-haired soldier put his thumb up to his mouth and thought, murmuring to himself quietly.

After a while, Seto got tired of listening to the man gibber in low moans, so he decided to warn him of his own annoyance, "If you're going to make that much noise, I'd suggest you go outside before you give me an even bigger headache." Boromir looked up at him with worried eyes and sighed again.

"It is this place. I can't stand it! It's too magical, and the people around here don't seem to be protecting the city! How do I know that the enemy won't just slip between the bushes without anyone noticing! And I'm sure if we were attacked, these bronze people wouldn't even care! They are just ignoring us, acting as if they are too wise, as if they know a side to the story that we don't!" Boromir listed loudly. When he finished, he sighed again, as if what he had said had just taken a load off of his chest.

"Maybe they do," Seto commented nonchalantly. He had not faltered at all as Boromir yelled at him about their surroundings. In fact, the man's fear made him want to laugh, he was acting so weak. But instead, he chose to stay serious and not disturb the man any further. It might make his headache worse. "There's no need to fret, Boromir. Lórien is well protected. You can sleep soundly in your bed tonight."

"Somehow, I just can't believe your honesty," He murmured back. Seto looked at him surprisingly. What was making Boromir so nervous? It seemed that Boromir knew that he had to explain more, so he took a couple of deep breaths, and then spoke in a shaky voice, "I heard her voice inside my head."

"Isis?"

Boromir nodded. "She spoke of my father, the steward of Gondor." This took Seto off of his guard. Never had he expected to meet someone related to that who sat in his rightful king's chair. Not that he wanted to sit in it, he was just surprised at it. Boromir caught the glimpse of startle in his eyes, and looked at him apologetically, "She said to me . . . 'Even now, there is hope left'. . . . But I can not see it!" More and more, he sounded as if he would be sick any moment now, "It's been long since we've had any hope."

Seto was surprised that they were talking about his rightful kingdom. Since he had been a boy, and his father had died at Selendrills' hands, he had turned away from the path of King. It just didn't seem to fit him to order people around, fight in many wars and direct an army of thousands, and fight enemies that threatened to take over the world. Preferably, he like to be alone. But, as they sat in their tent, talking over how Boromir's father was failing to rule Gondor, his home city, something deep inside him called out to take charge and save it. He lowered his hand that held the Blue-Eyes charm and started to listen intently.

After a pause, Borormir nodded as if agreeing on something, "My father is a noble man, but his rule is failing, and our people lose faith," The screaming inside Seto's head grew stronger now as Boromir continued, "He looks to me to make things right, and I would do it. I would see the glory of Gondor restored." He laughed a bit, as if remembering something, "Have you ever seen it, Kaiba? The white tower of Ekthelien, glimmering like a spike of pure silver, its banners caught high in the morning breeze. It's always been called home by the clearing rings of the trumpets . . ." His eyes glazed over as he remembered this all in happiness.

These words brought forgotten memories to Seto's eyes. He remembered running through the streets as a boy, how he had journeyed the castle's many corridors and hallways, and how he had stood at the tip of the mountain that Gondor held on to, observing the city's majestic beauty in the sunset. A sudden homesickness burned through him as he remembered these images. To Boromir, he nodded slowly, "I have seen the White City . . . long ago."

Boromir took in sharp breaths and smiled at him, "One day, our path will lead us there, and the tower guard shall take up the call," He seemed to be bursting with excitement as he said it, "That the Lord of Gondor has returned!" He was looking at Seto as if he were a god now.

But as Boromir finished his announcement, the comforting feeling inside Seto faded away at the mention of him being, as he said it, the "Lord of Gondor". His face turned to a grimace, and he turned back to looking at Critiàsa's charm. Quietly, he said, "Don't call me that." He didn't catch the look of surprise on Boromir's face.

ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

Yugi sat in his tent under the root cave, thinking to himself. Around them, his fellow hobbits were doing their own activities. Anzu was lighting up some candles to give the tent some light. Otogi was still organizing his luggage that he carried day and night, like his clothes and prized possessions. Hiroto was leaning against the pole, which was holding up the tent's front left side and stared at nothing in particular. All was quiet, as no one wanted to break each other's thoughts about Mahado. They were all grieving him tonight.

Suddenly, Jonouchi entered the tent, lifting up the flimsy flap of cloth that surrounded them. As he entered, he broke the hobbits out of their daydreaming and looked up at him. They saw the warm and friendly smile on his face, and that somehow lifted their spirits a bit. Yugi could see his brown eyes clearly in the candle's light, and saw the look of sorrow and grief in his eyes, too.

Without saying a word, the blond-haired warrior walked to the back of the tent and sat next to Yugi. With dull eyes, Yugi looked over at him and tried to smile. But, his grief was still too strong, and his muscles turned his mouth into what looked like a twisted scowl. Jonouchi just smiled back.

"It's okay, Yug, you don't have to say anythin'. I know you're upset to da core an' all. I just thought I'd come in here and give 'yall some company, dat's all," His smile grew even warmer, and he received some comforting smiles back from the hobbits. That is, everyone except Yugi. He turned his face to the floor and stayed silent. He didn't feel like talking much right now.

"Ya know, Mahado was a great man," Jonouchi softly said to Yugi, putting his hand on the hobbit's shoulder. Yugi didn't look up. "I didn't know him dat much, but just from travelin', I feel like I'd known him forever. Dere's not dat many people in dis world like him anymore, Yug. Trust me, I understand." Yugi could see that Jonouchi was trying his best to cheer him up. And Yugi appreciated that. Slowly, he looked up at Jonouchi, and this time, smiled genuinely.

Yugi's smile made Jonouchi want to go on, "But, I have to tell ya somethin' Yug. I've been a warrior all my life, an' if dere's one thing I know, it's ta never give up. You can't let your grief get in da way. What do you think if a soldier in a war would do? He sees thousands of men die, and in one day! If he were ta be sad about one man dieing, dere'd be no hope for him," He tightened his grip on Yugi's shoulder, "Ya have to stay strong. Do it for Mahado, Yug."

Yugi sighed at Jonouchi's encouragement and words of advice, "Thanks, Jonouchi. I mean it." Jonouchi smiled again, and then nodded. His words had made Yugi feel stronger, helping him get back to his normal self.

Since the mushy stuff was over, Jonouchi also returned to his normal self. "Man, I'm starvin'. What do we have ta eat around here?" He asked. As if this were a Christmas present, Hiroto and Otogi stood up quickly, picked up a silver box next to Anzu, who tried feverishly to keep it from them, and also sat down with Yugi and Jonouchi.

"Pick anything you want!" Hiroto happily exclaimed, followed by a "Yeah!" from Otogi. Jonouchi opened the box and found a stash of different kinds of food. Immediately, he grabbed what appeared to be a donut and stuffed it in his mouth.

"You guys are so immature!" Yugi heard Anzu say to herself. He had to suppress a laugh at that, only hoping that she wasn't talking about him, as well. Suddenly, a question came to mind.

"Hey, Jonouchi," Yugi began. The blond warrior looked up from his feeding frenzy at Yugi. "What's everyone doing? It's pretty quiet." Jonouchi thought for a moment as he chewed. "Let's see . . . Atem's weading a book," He said with a mouth full of food, but then swallowed, "Kaiba's in dere bein' his lonesome self, an' I don't know where Boromir is . . ."

"Hmm . . ." Yugi sat there quietly, pondering over where Boromir might be, while Jonouchi, Hiroto, and Otogi talked about food. Anzu just sat by the candle and gazed worriedly at Yugi.

Suddenly, Yugi thought he felt a strange vibration run through himself. Gasping a little, he looked down at his chest to find the Ring surrounded faintly by a strange black energy. Lifting it up to eyelevel, Yugi peered closely at the golden, circular object. He felt more vibrations run through him, and so he looked around for any danger that the Ring might be warning about.

When Yugi looked to his left, he saw a strange, white glow shining through the tent's veil. The light grew stronger as he looked at it. '_I wonder what that is . . ._' Yugi thought to himself. Maybe it was Boromir, but how had he gotten such a strange light? The light was getting very strong now, and Yugi felt more vibrations from the Ring. Looking around at the others, he noticed that no one else seemed to notice it. '_But how can that be? That light's strong enough to detect_.'

Making up his mind, Yugi stood up. Walking to the tent's door, Yugi heard Anzu ask him what was wrong. Yugi ignored her question, since she wouldn't understand it anyway. He was the only one who could see the light shining through the tent's walls. As if in a trance, Yugi walked out of the tent.

When he emerged out into the clearing, he could see where the light was coming from. From the direction of the exit of Lórien, the bright radiance was shining like a star. Yugi proceeded ahead to follow that light.

As he walked past the men's tent, Yugi heard voices inside. '_Oh, so that's where Boromir is_,' Yugi thought to himself. As he pushed through the bushes surrounding the clearing, he thought he heard Boromir yell, "But I can not see it!" Ignoring the outburst, Yugi continued to journey ahead.

As he walked though the woods of Lothlórien, he followed the light intently, passing many beautiful statues, more trees, and many fountains. About fifteen minutes after leaving camp, Yugi thought he heard the rattling of leaves behind him. His heart automatically started to race faster, and thoughts of regret for leaving the camp entered his mind. He was being followed! But as he turned swiftly around to face his pursier, his anxious breaths turned into sighs of relief.

"Hey, Anzu," Yugi greeted, "What are you doing here?" She had been tip-toeing through paths that made the least noise, but her bare feet had stepped on a dry leaf, making a crunchy noise. As she saw that Yugi had spotted her, she stopped being sneaky and ran up to his side.

"I should be asking you the same question," She replied cheerfully as she reached him, "I was worried about you."

Yugi was a bit surprised, "Me? You were worried about me?" Anzu nodded as if it wasn't a big deal.

"Of course. You gave us all a good scare when you just walked out on us like that. So I decided to follow you, to make sure you were okay," She explained. Yugi turned away from her to look to his left.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you . . ." Yugi murmured. Anzu seemed upset.

"Why wouldn't I believe you? What made you walk out and trudge through the woods alone?"

Yugi sighed, hoping with all of his heart that what he was about to say wouldn't disturb her. "I don't' think you can see it, but there's this strange light shining over there," He pointed to his left, "I saw it shining through the tent, and so I decided to find out where it came from," He decided not to tell her about the Ring's pulses.

When Yugi looked back at Anzu, she seemed confused, "What light? And why didn't you tell us?" Yugi smiled faintly.

"That's exactly my point, Anzu. None of you seemed to notice it, and I didn't want to sound like a fool, so I just went alone. But, believe me, that light's there."

Anzu seemed to understand. "Okay, Yugi. I believe you. With all of my heart," Yugi brightened at this, "Just promise me that you'll tell me these things from now on. I don't want to be a loner or anything." Yugi's smile widened as he nodded.

"Deal."

Then they moved on toward the light together. Anzu was following Yugi, because she had no idea where that light was. She just had to trust Yugi and believe that this wasn't some sort of trap.

As they emerged from behind a large, thick bush, Yugi and Anzu both gasped. It was the most beautiful sight they had ever seen.

There, walking on a path of light and shadow in the moonlight, were groups of traveling elves. They rode on white horses, or walked on foot. They also wore white cloaks. Yugi soon noticed their tan skin of their faces, and realized that it was the elves of Lórien. Though, it was hard to see anything at all. The light emitting from their staffs and pendants was almost blinding. '_It's the light that I could see! The people of Lórien!_' He thought to himself.

Knowing that they were close enough to be noticed, Yugi pulled on Anzu's sleeve to drop to the ground. Although, Anzu seemed too stunned to even blink, she did as he did, hiding in the long, soft stems of grass below. No one had seemed to notice them move or arrive.

"Yugi, I think I know where that light was coming from . . ." Anzu breathed. Yugi nodded, looking at the Lórien elves' staffs and necklaces. They both were entranced by their beauty and elegance as they walked.

"Where do you suppose their going?" Yugi asked under his breath. Almost as soon as he finished, though, a new voice sounded behind them. A voice that was deep and commanding.

"They are going to the harbor beyond the white towers," Atem explained, "To the Gray Havens."

Atem's entrance nearly killed the two hobbits from startle. They had not heard him emerge at all from the bushes behind them. As Yugi held back a scream, he turned around fully to gaze into the sparkling eyes of Atem, which looked very similar to his own. Atem was kneeling down on the ground, gazing at the elves as they walked by.

"What, is _everyone_ following me these days!" Yugi asked as quietly as he could stifle a scream. Atem just chuckled.

"I couldn't resist. And I am a much better tracker than Anzu, and quieter," Atem murmured. Anzu shot an annoyed glace at Atem, but said nothing as she looked upon the passing elves.

"So, wait, what did you say?" Yugi asked as he too looked at the elves again, "The Gray Havens?"

"It is a world where a soul doesn't die. One who lives there is forever existing in a world of harmony, peace, beauty, and justice," Atem explained, "Mostly magical people travel there, like wizards, elves, even pharaohs, if they have magical powers . . ."

"So, will you go there?" Anzu asked. Atem shrugged.

"Depends. My Millennium Puzzle is indeed magical, but it is filled with Shadow Magic, not light. It all depends if I am invited by the elves or a wizard."

Yugi gasped, "So, you could go to a world where you don't die? How do you get there?"

"By an enchanted ship that rides into the sunset, to travel to a different world," Atem finished. They all watched as more and more bronze-skinned elves passed by silently.

"They're leaving . . ." Anzu whispered, "They're leaving Middle Earth."

**Wow, that took a while to type. I had to pause and stop for the last few days, since I've been a bit busy. And like before, my line thing isn't working, so you get more S's. Get used to it.**

**School starts tomorrow! You _know_ I'm not looking forward to that. Unlike summer school, this doesn't end in two weeks. So, I'll warn you now: I'm definitely going to have a lot of homework, since I'm taking some Honors classes. Prepare to not have many chapters updated. But, I'll try my best. Needless to say, I'm not going to have homework tomorrow, because it's the first day of school. Wish me luck! R&R, but no flames please?**

**P.S. – Isis the Sphinx, I'm _soooooooo_ jealous right now . . .**


	33. The Greatest Evil Appears

**Author's Note:** School's not that bad . . . yet. I just have this feeling that tells me more is in store. Anyway, I'm sorry for slow updates in the present and future. I do try to type this as fast as I can, but it takes me a couple of days because of short time limit. As for reviews, there was not as much as I would have hoped, but that's alright. I'm getting clicks on it, so people are reading it, just not commenting. (Sigh) Oh, well. Thank-you, Isis the Sphinx, brat-always-day-and-night, and Hydro-Wolf for your comments. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 34: The Greatest Evil Appears

Yugi and Anzu crept into their tents after they had seen the Lórien elves leave. Everyone was asleep now, and Jonouchi had gone back to his tent to rest as well. Dodging Otogi's and Hiroto's sleeping figures, the two hobbits made it to their makeshift beds quietly. Anzu's bed was parallel to Otogi's, while Yugi's was under the root cave.

As they crawled under their blankets, they became aware of the snores of their fellow friends. Anzu giggled a bit after Hiroto's became one continuous snort, but Yugi's mind was else where. He wrapped the blankets tight around his body, and then closed his eyes slowly.

Anzu could tell that Yugi's attention was divided. With Mahado's death, suspicious lights, leaving elves, and a freaky witch that had supernatural powers dealt with in one day, it was no wonder his looked stressed out. Anzu could feel the sympathy for him rise, and she had the sudden urge to cheer him up.

"Good night, Yugi," She whispered. Yugi's eyes flashed open to gaze at Anzu. After a silent pause, in which Anzu thought he was pulling his thoughts together, he smiled faintly at her.

"Good night, Anzu," Yugi murmured before taking in a deep breath, turning to his other side, away from Anzu, and closing his eyes again. Anzu knew that he did not want to talk much, so she merely nodded and lied down to sleep, too.

Behind Yugi's closed eyelids, he replayed the scene of Mahado's death over and over. Each time he imagined it, the ache in his heart grew more painful. Of course he tried to think of other things, tried to sidetrack his mind from that horrible scene, but it was like his thoughts were glued to it. The images just wouldn't leave.

As Yugi watched Mahado drop into the dark abyss for the thousandth time, he felt something warm flow down his face to the ground. He realized that it was a tear, and that he was silently crying once again.

"_I will always be with you."_

This was the last thing Yugi thought before he fell into an uncomfortable and restless sleep.

ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

_All was dark. Nothing surrounded him, except for the pure evil of the shadows. He could feel his feet fall against an invisible floor, could hear his hard pants as he ran through the solid darkness. He could feel the sweat forming on his face and palms. But he could not see anything. All was dark._

_Yugi was running from something. He did not know exactly what, but he was definitely running from something, and it was terrifying. He did not know what way he was going, except that it was away from an unknown threat haunting his thoughts. He then unexpectedly heard a loud roar behind him, and he screamed in startle and fear. Whatever was chasing Yugi was catching up fast._

_Suddenly, Yugi saw a single ray of light in the distance. It was like a burst of flame burning through paper, singeing it easily. Still running, Yugi prepared his muscles to go faster; away from the threatening shadows and creature, and towards the light. He could see the ray getting bigger now, and this encouraged Yugi to run faster, to ignore the burning inside his lungs, telling him to rest and catch his breath._

_Once the light was feet away from him, Yugi could see that it was some sort of circular object, like a donut. With all of his strength, he lifted his hand in the air and reached out for the single, solitary ray of hope that held Yugi's spirits up and away from the hunting monster of the shadows._

_But just as Yugi thought he would finally feel the warmth of the light in his palm, to finally seize the glorious illumination, the figure of light started to rise higher into the air. Yugi tried to yell out to it, to call it back down and to let him hold it, but his voice didn't seem to be working. The circular figure was still levitating upward._

_Just when Yugi thought he would never reach it again and had to be stuck in the darkness again, a cold laugh surrounded him. It sounded like it was echoing off of walls, yet Yugi couldn't see any. Louder and softer, the laugh continued on for what seemed like an eternity. Yugi's fear rose, yet he couldn't move his eyes off of the now dimming light above him. The laugh finally faded away into the darkness, and Yugi suddenly felt relieved._

_But then Yugi heard something else. Footsteps. Yes, Yugi knew they were footsteps. That was undeniable. But, the question was, whose footsteps were they? The tip-tap of the falling feet noise continued to get louder as the fear rose even higher in Yugi's throat. He looked up and saw that the ray of light was very high up indeed, almost being swallowed up by the surrounding shadows._

_Then Yugi heard another chuckle, only this time, it was not an echo. The laugh had come from somewhere close. He tried to look around, to hopefully find this mysterious stranger, but to no avail._

_Finally finding his voice, Yugi stammered, "W-w-who's t-there?" There was another chuckle, yet softer. Finding some of his courage, he braced himself. "Show yourself!" Yugi commanded with strength in his voice. He did not expect to get an answer, but –_

"_As you wish . . ." A deep, hoarse voice sounded from his left. Yugi looked up to find that the circular object was lowering itself down again, the light emitting from it getting brighter. As the object came closer, Yugi could see that what appeared to be a man stood some feet from him. He was only a shadow, but Yugi could tell that it was a man of great composure and menace._

_The man raised his hand up toward the falling donut-like entity, as if commanding it to come toward him. The object did like so, falling down onto one of his fingers like a ring would. The light coming from the item still glowed, and now Yugi could see the man's form clearly. At the sight of him, Yugi gasped._

_It was a man with bronze skin, like Mahado's and Isis's. He had snow white hair that went about shoulder length and wore a blood red robe that surrounded his body weightlessly. Underneath his robe, he was bare-chested and wore a light brown sarong that ended just above the knee. His shoes seemed to be made out of a cloth like Atem's. His dark brown eyes burned into Yugi's violet ones as they both stared at each other, one standing in a rigid, shocked way and the other in a hunching, demon-like way. Almost immediately, Yugi seemed to recognize the man that stood before him, chuckling evilly._

"_B-Bakura . . ." Yugi breathed quietly. However, because of the emptiness of the surrounding dark realm, his words echoed around both of them to hear clearly. At the sound of this name, the man standing in front of Yugi chuckled even louder, soon turning it into a laugh. He threw his head back as his chilling chortles rang around them. It made a cold shiver run up Yugi's spine._

_Finally, Bakura stopped laughing and lowered his head to stare at the hobbit again. "I see my reputation hasn't faltered these long, many years," He said in a hoarse, icy voice, sending more shivers through Yugi's body._

_Finding the courage to regain his voice, Yugi clenched his fists, "What do you want, Bakura?" He spat the last word out as if it were vermin. This only made Bakura chuckle even more and wave a finger at him._

"_My, how the world has grown impatient since I've been away," The Dark Lord said nonchalantly, "Is it a crime to appear in your precious presence? I had no idea that you were so important. Please, you must forgive me. I'm afraid being locked away in the Shadow Realm for thousands of years can make a man quite lonely." All the while, his speech seemed to get more sarcastic with every sentence. They made Yugi feel a bit of anger in his stomach._

"_I wouldn't know. I've never been locked away in the . . ." He paused as he remembered what Bakura had said. What was the Shadow Realm?_

"_H-heh, heh. I see you are not familiar with the dark magic that surrounds you even this very moment. Well, let me explain . . . you're in it!" His words took Yugi off guard, causing a bit more fear to rise within him. Slowly, he started to back away from the Dark Lord._

"_What do you want?" Yugi repeated, much more clearly and firmer this time. Now he seemed to be getting somewhere, because the white-haired man scowled at Yugi's question. But then, maybe it wasn't wise to make him mad. He was, after all, the Dark Lord Bakura._

"_You have something that I want, little Yugi. And I declare to reclaim it from you!" His russet eyes then glanced down at the glowing ring on his finger. It was at this point that Yugi realized that it was the One Ring. But, if it was, why was he asking for it when it was already around his finger?_

"_You can never have the Ring, Bakura! Your evil will not spread and conquer the people of Middle Earth!" Seeing the smirk return to his face, Yugi started to get nervous. It was as if no threat in the world could get through this man's heart. "I would die before **you** ever held it again!"_

_This made the grin on Bakura's face widen, as if this was all just a game to him . . . and a very thrilling one, at that. Cackling once more, Bakura started to lift his hand into the air, "Yes, I see. Just the same vow that your friend, Mahado, said, as well. And we all know how **that** turned out . . . h-heh, heh . . ."_

_When Bakura mentioned Mahado's name, Yugi felt his spirits weaken. Just the mention of his name made the scene of Mahado's death run over Yugi's eyes. Drowned in grief and sorrow, Yugi didn't even notice that Bakura's hand was held directly over his white head and that the Ring was glowing like that of fire._

_By the time that Yugi returned to what seemed to be reality, it was too late. A dark shroud of energy was starting to surround Bakura. The mix of purple and black force was getting bigger as the Dark Lord smirked as wide as possible. As Yugi realized what was happening, the black veil of power started to separate itself from the surface of Bakura's body and floated behind him. Bakura's eyes emitted a deep, crimsoned red, and he starting to chuckle behind his wide sneer._

_The black energy started to get bigger and take a form. The Ring around Bakura's finger also started to glow the same color as the force in unity with its golden luminosity. From Yugi's perspective, the energy seemed to be a long, vertical figure with huge, triangle-like shapes coming from the back, as well as smaller, rounder shapes from the bottom front. As the vertical shape bent its upper part toward the ground, what appeared to be two red eyes staring at Yugi from the shadows that surrounded them. At that point, Yugi knew what was coming. He knew what that gigantic black cloak of darkness was becoming. And Yugi did not like this thought at all._

_The Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon was emerging._

_Taking a smart hint from his conscious, Yugi started to back up from the almost fully revived dragon, the most powerful Ka known in history. Bakura saw his intentions to run away and this made him laugh even harder. He raised his hands in the air as if holding a giant ball up in the air. Almost as soon as his arms were up, his Ka's energy glowed a mixture of red and black and the dragon's body became solid._

_Yugi observed in terror at the Dark Lord's Ka. Extremely gigantic, the dragon's head towered stories upon stories above the little hobbit's head, even in a crouched position. Black, pointy scales surrounded all parts of its body, and from Yugi's point of view, they looked impenetrable. The Darkness Dragon's spine was especially spiky, with two very long scales pointing upward like towers. Red rubies covered the dragon's body. Two rested on its knees, on the tip of its wings, on its chest, and especially on its forehead. The Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon's eyes themselves were like giant, blood-filled rubies, piercing into anything it looked at. All around its body from where its scales ended to expose soft skin, a red glow was emitting from it. It was as if under its black, metallic scales, evil itself resided inside the dragon. Lifting its head up into the air, the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon roared with all of the malice of the world in its vocal chords._

_Yugi was absolutely terrified. The creature that stood before him was the most menacing thing he had ever seen in his life. Almost as soon as his fear rose dramatically, thoughts about escape started to run through his head like bullets. Each maneuver was more deadly than the next as his mind panicked and his eyes gazed fearfully at the dragon and its master before him. What was he to do?_

_Bakura lowered his hands back down to his side and looked at the now cowering Yugi. The site of him twitching and yelling silent screams made his tongue roll in enjoyment. How long had it been since he had had this much fun? Obviously long enough, because as Yugi's leg kicked into the air out of fright at his Ka, the Dark Lord raised his head into the air and laughed like he had never laughed before. The Darkness Dragon behind him swished its incredibly long tail from side to side, anxiously awaiting its master's command to attack._

_Calming himself enough to talk, Bakura looked at Yugi again to find him five feet away from where he last stood. "I see my Ka has placed quite a fright on you, eh? What a shame . . . for you, that is." He glanced up at his powerful Ka, as if signaling for it to do something. The Darkness Dragon's tail then suddenly whipped through the air and aimed at Yugi. This time, Yugi's voice didn't falter as he screamed at the top of his lungs. The dragon's tail wrapped around the hobbit and held him tightly in place. Yugi struggled all he could, but the dragon's tail was too strong._

_The black tail pulled Yugi forward to face Bakura, his face only inches away from the hobbit's. Yugi could feel his cold breath brush his skin as the Dark Lord spoke, "Get this into your head, Yugi, and get it straight," His voice had turned from amusement to serious in moments, "I **will** retrieve the Ring, even if it's the last thing I do. You, as well as everyone you know and love, will die by my hands. I'm coming for you, Yugi," His lips curled into a delighted sneer, "I'm coming to kill you . . ."_

_With that, the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon lifted Yugi up into the air and away from Bakura. Yugi tried with all of his might to get loose, but it was to no avail. Before Yugi knew it, he had been lifted to face the menacing dragon that blended into the darkness, its crimson eyes glowing with pure evil. Before Yugi could even scream, the dragon opened its mouth wide to reveal the inside, which was a pure layer of blood-red skin and a maroon tongue. From the depths of its throat, a storm of black flame started to form. Yugi knew what was going to happen at that moment, and his mind went into memory mode, where he used the last seconds of his life to remember his friends and family._

_The black flame engulfed the Darkness Dragon's mouth to where it couldn't be contained. From below, Yugi thought he heard Bakura cry, "BLACK FLAME OF MALEVOLENCE!", but he wasn't sure if it was just his mind. The dragon let loose the searing hot flames from its mouth, and the last thing Yugi remembered was the unbearable pain from his flesh being burned off of his bones . . ._

**Whew! I thought I'd never finish this! Sorry that this took so long to come, but I've had a lot of homework. I still do, but I decided that you guys/girls had suffered enough torture from waiting. Oh, and one more thing. I'm taking BCIS (Business _Something Something _Skills), and we're learning how to type. Of course, I already know how, but it measures your words per minute and stuff. My highest was either an 89 or 90, which even I'm impressed with. Sorry, just some random comment. R&R, but no flames please?**


	34. The Millennium Necklace

**Author's Note:** AH! I can't believe how long it's been since I've updated! I'M SO SORRY! If you've been checking every day or so to see if I've updated, only to find that I haven't, SORRY! I feel so bad right now . . . Believe me, I've been trying to get this done as quickly as possible, but with school, that's not entirely possible. (Sigh) . . . well, here's another chapter! Hey, you all are lucky that you're even getting the updates. Ah, who cares! Story time! I'd like to thank Isis the Sphinx, brat-always-day-and-night, and cheeky-eyes for your comments. This is basically what I live for these days, now that Yu-Gi-Oh!'s been taken off air **_again_**. Not even 7:00 A.M. is good enough for them now. But before I go off on a lifelong rant, I'll move on and say _enjoy the chapter_!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 35: The Millennium Necklace

Yugi awoke suddenly with a sharp gasp. Jolting open his eyes in a terrified manor, the spiky-haired hobbit sat upright quickly. His face was covered in beads of sweat, his clothes were sticking to his moist body, and his colorful hair was matted and messy, as if he had been turning and twisting in his makeshift bed. His pupils were the size of marbles, hazed and petrified, and his breaths were coming out short as he gasped for air. It was as if everything about him was screaming with terror.

Yugi still felt the burning sensation of the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon's fire singing his skin. The pain was unbelievable; it was amazing that the hobbit was even moving. But as Yugi blinked again, he realized that he was back at the campsite. This calmed him down a bit, allowing the boy to gain control over his actions again. Setting his mind straight, Yugi commanded his body to wait torturously for the feeling of fire on his skin to ebb away. Slowly but surely, though, it did.

As he waited for the pain to stop, Yugi gathered his thoughts together about the event he had just experienced. Turning to his memory, the hobbit returned to the world of darkness where he couldn't see anything but black. Just the thought of that realm, though, made him shiver in fear. He had so far not had a good experience there. Focusing more on what appeared to be his lifelike dream, Yugi remembered running as fast as he could in the darkness. Behind him, there had been some sort of creature chasing him to endless lengths.

'_But what was it? What on Middle Earth could possibly roar that loud?_' Yugi thought to himself, relief taking him as the fiery pain faded to what felt like a pinch. But then it came to him. '_What a sec'! Didn't Bakura say that we weren't in Middle Earth? He said we were in the Shadow . . ._' He struggled with his memory for a moment, '_Yes, the Shadow Realm! That's it! But, where is that? Certainly not in Middle Earth, that's for sure . . ._' Yugi put that thought aside for the moment and went back to his dream.

He had been chasing a golden, reddish light off in the distance. Remembering the later events, Yugi realized that it had been the Ring. This made his shaky hands suddenly jerk up and grasp the circular object hanging from his neck protectively. Bakura had been its possessor before himself, obviously, so it was no wonder the Ring had moved toward him in his dream. Bakura was, after all, its creator, and he needed it to take over the world once again.

But one thing puzzled Yugi. In his dream, or in the Shadow Realm, Bakura had had the Ring with him. How did he still need it if the Dark Lord had it in the Shadow Realm anyway? Wasn't it with him already? But then another thought struck him. If Bakura _had_ taken possession of the Ring already, Middle Earth would have been conquered by his evil already.

'_Things must work differently in the Shadow Realm. He could have the Ring there, but maybe there's the possibility that it's not real_,' Yugi thought with creased eyebrows. He gasped quietly as he realized the truth, '_Yes! That has to be it! Everything in the Shadow Realm is an illusion, so the Ring was as well. **I** have the real One Ring, not Bakura. That's why he threatened to kill me and my friends. It's because I really **do** have the Ring, not him_.' Getting over that speed bump, the hobbit continued to review over his remembrance of the terrifying dream.

He remembered Bakura summoning his Ka with the copied Ring, the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, otherwise known as the strongest Ka known to existence. Yugi shivered as he recalled the pitch black scales and the glimmering, blood red rubies on its body. He remembered the way it stood on its two back legs, yet hovered inches from the ground. He also remembered the gigantic height of the black dragon and how he had been nothing more than an ant in its presence. But most of all, he remembered the sight of those crimson, fiery eyes that were as big as he was. The way they burned into his very soul as the creature glared at him, or how they flashed in anxiousness with the thought of burning something or someone again.

The rest of his memory was faded, mostly because he had been ridged with fear. His mind had probably been more preoccupied with the thoughts of what the dragon was going to do with him, since he was trapped in its tail, than everything else that had been happening. He did recall Bakura vowing to kill him, promising him that when he returned to power, Yugi would be the first to die. Now _that_, if nothing else, had shook the little hobbit to his core in terror. Even now, with his mind conscious and aware that he was far from the Dark Lord, Yugi's heart jumped in pain and nervousness as he recalled the white-haired man's words and chilling voice.

The last thing he pictured was facing the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon face-to-face, feeling a deadly pain, and then all went black as he heard Bakura laughing and his Ka's roar one last time. It was at this time that Yugi realized that the roar of the Ka was the one he had heard before, at the start of his dream. But this only stayed in his mind for a few seconds as the hobbit moved on to his final summary of the nightmare.

'_W-what if Bakura really **is** returning to power and can come back somehow? What will happen then . . . ?_' Yugi thought in panic. But then the scene of Mahado dropping into darkness, as well as his grandfather turning into a demon, flashed through his mind. That was all it took to motivate the little teenage half ling. He felt his hands grip hard, his muscles tighten in his body, and his eyes narrow as his anger rose against Bakura. For what he had done to his friends and family, it was not _he _who should die, but _Bakura_!

Suddenly, it was as if Yugi had woken up from a trance. A very deep trance, at that. Blinking twice and taking a small gasp for air, Yugi unclenched his hands, relaxed his muscles, and calmed his mind. What was he thinking? Was he just making threats about killing someone? Never in his life had he done that. He had a pure spirit, a gentle spirit, not a bloodthirsty one. How had it come to this, thinking of thrusting a sword into a man's stomach and watching the light dim from his eyes? Oh, yeah . . . the Ring.

'_Still, I was only thinking about Bakura. I bet everyone's thought about defeating the Dark Lord now and again. But why me, as well!_' Yugi decided to put the thought aside for now and looked around at what was actually going on around him at the present time. He tried with all of his strength to calm his mind, hoping that he would no longer think like that, and returned his attention to reality.

It was at that moment that he realized that it was pitch black and in he middle of the night. He had not noticed the darkness before, probably because of his dream. Looking around his tent, he saw the faint figures of Otogi, Hiroto, and Anzu sleeping quietly in their nests. Well, almost quietly. Hiroto had a storm of snores flowing around him as he breathed in and out. Yugi had just noticed this, too. How in the world had he missed Hiroto snoring?

But suddenly, Yugi heard a small crack outside of his tent, as if someone had stepped on a twig or something. Intensifying his hearing as best he could, Yugi listened quietly for any more signs of movement. After about a moment's wait, he heard the faint rustle of grass parting and swishing as bare feet slipped over the ground. This puzzled Yugi. Who in the world would be up at this hour, besides himself? Curiosity taking over, Yugi silently crept out from under his sheets, meandered through the maze of Otogi's and Hiroto's feet spread out on the ground, and pushed back the curtain that separated their tent from the rest of the world.

Yugi walked out from his tent and looked around, but saw no one. His heart sighed in relief for a moment and he calmed his mind, knowing that there was no unknown threat coming towards them at that moment. But then his heart did a back flip as he saw out of the corner of his eye the swaying motion of raven black hair disappearing behind a large bush. This made the hobbit realize that there _was_ someone out there, and who ever it was, they were headed out of the camp and into the outskirts of Lórien.

Swallowing his fear, Yugi tried his best to move soundlessly through the camp's grounds. He could only imagine what would happen if he were to be caught in his attempt to follow the mysterious midnight-walker. But thankfully, no one did see him as he walked up the stone steps that led in a direction that Yugi did not know.

He could not see the person with black hair ahead of him as he followed the pathway through the gigantic woods. All he saw were the shadows of unrealistic threats that were created from the silver light of the moon. At times, Yugi's mind seemed almost convinced that he was going on a wild goose chase and that he should go back to camp. But there was this other part of him that burned with interest, giving him a sense that something or someone _was_ out there and that he was _not_ on a phony pursuit. This was all the feeling he needed to go on, and so he did.

After what seemed like hours to Yugi, he came upon a gray stoned staircase that ran down the side of a steep hill. Wondering if he was doing the right thing, the hobbit tentatively placed his foot on the first step, and then the second, and then the next one after that. Ignoring his rising fear of suspense, Yugi made it to the last step and then solid earth ground. He then finally let his senses kick in so that he could observe what was around him.

On both sides of the last stair he had just gotten off of, Yugi realized that there were two black statues of elves, with their elegant robes, long hair, slanted eyes, and graceful postures. In their hands lied a bowl of enchanted water, in which torch light fires burned on top of. Yugi looked over to his right and saw a stone wall with green and brown vines growing all over its surfaces like centipedes, with an archway in the middle to lead to another passageway. On is left grew an enormous tree, like many others in the Lórien forest.

But what caught his eye the most was what was in the center of the clearing in front of him. It was a gracefully engraved cylindrical table that supported many more vines that grew along it. On the surface of the stand, a round dent was carved into it, in which a pure silver bowl sat upon in the middle, its surface gleaming in the moonlight. And in front of the stand and basin, her eyes burning into him like fire, stood Isis.

Yugi had been taken aback by the sight of her. Like before, her presence created a strange feeling that twisted his intestines inside of his body. He could feel her mind reach towards his, as if reading his thoughts, and the hobbits felt suddenly naked, completely exposed inside and out. Frozen to the spot, Yugi could not move in fear of Isis's stare to blaze through him.

But all Isis did was smile mysteriously at him, and then bent down to pick something up that was on the ground next to the stone table. Yugi realized that it was a pitcher, its sides curved in an organic way, and its silver surface also gleaming from the light. Yugi watched in frozen anxiousness as Isis walked over to a fountain inserted into the stone wall next to him. Gently pushing the pitcher into the pool of clear water, Isis filled it up to its brim before walking back to the stone stand, the extra droplets falling like glitter as they fell from the jug to the grass below.

Free from the stare of Isis's eyes, Yugi forced his muscles to move again. He walked up to the stone table just as Isis turned to gaze at him once again, holding the pitcher in her hands tenderly. Looking from the dry basin on the cylindrical stone to Isis, who towered over his short height, the hobbit tried as hard as he could to remove the nervous feeling that Isis gave him and let his curiosity take over. But suddenly, Isis blinked for the first time and steadily gazed upon him in a wise way.

"Will you look into the mirror?" She smoothly asked, her voice soft yet firm. Suspicion rose inside of Yugi as he looked up at her and slightly narrowed his eyes.

"What will I see?" He asked slowly, trying his hardest to get his emphasis on his words to the elf. He did not yet trust her, and he wanted her to know it. Isis just smirked at him and his question, as if admiring his wariness with a sense of humor. Stepping right over the basin now, the Elvin woman took her time to answer his question.

"Even the wisest wizard in Middle Earth can not tell," She slowly replied back, "For the mirror shows many things . . ." With that, Isis lifted up the silver pitcher and just lightly tipped it, enough for a long, slender rope of crystal clear water to pour down into the matching silver basin. When she poured all of the water into the bowl, she put down the pitcher and continued, "It may show things that were, things that are, and some things that have not yet come to pass."

As she spoke, her cool, monotone voice sunk into him like ice in boiling water. They were exactly two different temperatures. Yugi felt himself begin to become nervous, mostly letting his eyes show it. Isis backed away from the table and nodded toward it for him to approach. With all of the anxiousness in the world, Yugi cautiously approached the basin.

Looking down in it, he could see his reflection, with his multi-colored hair and gentle violet eyes. He could see that he had faint dark rings around them, probably from the stress and grief he was going through. From around his neck, he could see the chain that held the Ring hanging under his shirt. At first, Yugi didn't understand what he was doing at all. All Yugi could see was himself in the water. Wasn't this like a gazing pool or something? If so, why could he not see a thing?

He looked up at Isis for assistance, as if she would give him a special spell or incantation to say. But all she did was stand in a graceful posture, her azure eyes once again gazing at Yugi as he stupidly stood over the water. Seeing that she had no answers, Yugi once again looked down at the water.

But just when he let his guard down, the water below him started to ripple, but no force had touched it. Yugi gasped as a smoky substance started to float around in the liquid. Soon, it started to change color, mixing many shades to form a picture, until a clear image was portrayed on the surface of the water. Yugi noticed it was Atem, his hair identical to his own and his sharp violet eyes revealing a wise and concerned gaze. The Egyptian pharaoh had his back toward Yugi and was staring into the distance. Then Atem seemed to notice his presence, because he turned toward Yugi and looked at him in a side profile, the shadows giving his face depth and shape. The intensity of his stare was so overwhelming; Yugi almost had to turn away from the look of sorrow and grief in Atem's purple orbs.

But then suddenly the image of Atem faded into that same milky substance in the water, only to once again portray more of his friends. Soon, Yugi realized that he was now staring at Otogi and Hiroto, their faces covered in mud and dirt and their eyes revealing that they were in fearful danger. Yugi felt his heart go out to them, wondering what could make them look that upset. But there was nothing he could do, since he was staring at water and not the real life forms of his fellow hobbits.

Then that image faded once again and was replaced by the picture of Anzu. Yugi's heart leapt and skipped a beat as her perfect appearance took form before him. She was staring at him pityingly, her face also dusted in dirt. The emotion within the hobbit ached Yugi's body in longing pain as he stared into her warm blue eyes. She also looked scared, as if she had just seen him die or tortured. His soul tried to reach out to her from seeing her like that, and Yugi hoped that the picture would not change soon so he could look at her lovely, yet painful, face.

But like before, Anzu's image faded back into the cloudy fog inside the water, which caused Yugi to quickly bring his mind back from his thoughts on Anzu toward the vision now revealed on the water's surface. His eyes gazed appealingly at the picture he saw. It was the Shire, his home, with the sun shining, its light reflecting off of the lake's waters and the golden glow of the grass. He longed to actually be there and ogle at the circular wooden doors of the hobbits' homes and gardens full of colors. He even recognized some hobbits running by his point of perspective and realized that he was looking in upon the front door of the Green Dragon pub.

Yugi heard a faint laugh in his ears, like a rumble of thunder, as a ripple ran through the water to change what he saw of the pub. Now it was nighttime, hardly any moonlight shining on the scene before Yugi only to be replaced by the red glow of fire. Yugi's eyes widened in horror as he realized that the Green Dragon, as well as many buildings around it, was on fire! Then shadows of creatures with green skin, giant wings, red eyes, and lizard-like features passed by the flames that were engulfing the pub, and then the shadows of much smaller people, hobbits, being chased and herded throughout the town as the Selendrills gave them a terrifying pursuit. Yugi gripped the edge of the silver bowl tightly as he watched his long-time friends being tortured and killed.

Then the vision went in for a closer perspective, allowing Yugi to see in detail what was happening to his friends. He saw the immensely terrified faces of the hobbits as they ran blindingly away from the evil Selendrills in different directions, sweat, spit, dirt, and blood covering their faces and clothes. He saw the tears and injuries in their covering cloth and skin and how the blood oozed out of their gashes, like giant waterfalls being shook in an earthquake. Yugi closely observed in horror on one particular hobbit as he ran into his view, and then a shadowy, gigantic green monster snuck up behind it, lifted up an enormous axe covered in fresh blood, and brought it down upon the hobbit's spine in his back. Blood poured out of the fatal wound immediately and Yugi's eyes widened in even more fear as he watched the hobbit's eyes glaze over and fall limply to the floor. The enormous Selendrill then roared in triumph, spreading out its wings and beating them in an insane way.

The fire, death, torture, and fear were just too much for Yugi to bear. His knuckles had turned white from gripping the bowl so hard, his skin had turned pale (though it was reflecting the red glow of the fire from the water below, giving it a sick shade of reddish white), and his eyes were open to their extent. As he watched his friends die terribly, Yugi let out little screams and gasps that revealed how scared he was, and his entire body was shaking like a spring. At times, the hobbit found that he just could not look, so he would close his eyes, let out a soft scream, and stare into the darkness behind his eyelids.

When he opened them again, the appalling movie-like vision was at last gone and the creamy liquid had taken its place, allowing Yugi to finally release a relieved breath as his mind finally comprehended that he was free from those horrible sights. But then his heart jumped and released cold adrenaline throughout his body as yet another image started to form and take shape. This time, Yugi recognized everyone in the picture.

It portrayed the members of the Shire chained together by their hands and ankles so that they formed a long line of small half lings. Every single hobbit was covered in dried blood and dirt. As Yugi watched them walk slowly along a dirt path in their chains, he realized that the now captive Shire was not alone, but were accompanied by even more Selendrills, with their green scales and red eyes burning with evil.

'_It must be after the invasion . . ._' Yugi thought to himself desperately. Then he gasped loudly as he recognized one of the hobbits in the group more closely than others. With her torn pink and purple dress, short brunette hair, and bright azure eyes, there was no mistaking his closest friend. It was Anzu.

Anzu, among all of the other hobbits, was also chained and injured. The pain in her eyes was unbearable to look at, with her tears forming on her eye's brim. Slowly, Yugi heard her take in a sharp gasp as the tear flowed down her cheek. "_He is dead . . ._" That is what she appeared to say, though her words were muffled. Then Yugi saw her lift one of her chained hands that was clenched in a fist and then watched as she slowly opened it. There, in the palm of her hand, was a locket lying open that had Yugi's picture in it. More tears fell from her eyes and landed upon the image of his face and Anzu silently cried.

But then Anzu had to enclose the locket into her dress pocket because a Selendrill was approaching in her direction. But unfortunately, the Selendrill had spotted Anzu's sneaky move and advanced quickly on her. Yugi once again observed in horror as the Selendrill grabbed its whip and thrust the leathery string toward Anzu with all of its might. When the whip contacted with her skin, yet another deep, long gash appeared across her waist as the long string tore her clothes and dug into her flesh, leaving a fresh mark with blood guzzling out of it on her skin. Yugi could not bear to see it any longer.

"ANZU!" He cried out as he shook the bowl, hoping that it would somehow change the vision and move on to something else. But Yugi was forced to stand there and gaze upon his friend lying on the ground in silent pain, bringing others down because of her chains.

Finally, after what seemed like hours to the little hobbit, Anzu's wounded and scared body faded like always into the cloudy substance in the water. Yugi blinked twice, forcing his heart to slow down while he watched the next vision unfold.

'_It's okay. Anzu isn't hurt, she's back at camp with my other friends. She's not hurt . . . or is she?_' Yugi couldn't help but think, but had to tear away from those thoughts as the most horrifying picture yet to be seen appeared.

It was the Shire, yet again. But how Yugi realized that it was his home, he never really found out. Maybe it had been the feeling he had gotten, or just by looking at some insignificant object that reminded him of the place he had grown up. But from the vision that floated before him, it was a wonder how he had even made a clear distinction between the ground and sky.

The village had been burned. The grass on the ground had been burned away, leaving a scared black and dirty ground covered in ashes behind. All of the little homes that dug into the hills of the Shire were also burned, with most of the wood on the ground in ash while the rest barely stood against gravity because of its frailty. No signs of plant life existed. There were no flowers, trees, crops . . . nothing but a barren wasteland. Well, unless you counted the black factory-like buildings puffing out giant clouds of smoke from their exhaust pipes in the background. But that was the only sign of some living form surviving in what used to be one of the most peaceful places in Middle Earth. Above the black land, the sky had turned a dark gray mixed with the pollution of black clouds from the factories way off into the distance. The entire area created a disgusting, revolting atmosphere that would make even the bravest warrior feel uncomfortable. Bakura's armies of Selendrills had taken over Middle Earth.

Yugi was nauseated by the sight of his once peaceful home. Something deep within him stirred restlessly as he stared upon the destruction of what filled up much of his heart, full of hatred, anger, fear, and shock for Bakura. It was the same feeling he had experienced from before with his dream. How could one man do so much damage to a person's heart and soul? '_No . . ._' Yugi tried to correct himself as he narrowed his eyes and tightened his muscles, '_Bakura's not a human. He's a demon! I'll never let this future come true!_' The rage pumped through Yugi's veins and his mind raced with tactics to prevent the visions that he was witnessing. He did not even notice Isis standing close by, her eyes narrowed in a gaze at Yugi, as if she was pondering something within her wise mind about the hobbit's feelings for what he saw.

But all of those angry and venomous thoughts evaporated like liquid as the final vision from the water developed. Fire started to emit from all directions in the Shire's remains. Even in places not possible in real life. This made Yugi realize that instead of fading out like the images of the previous pictures into the cloudy substance, the fire was taking its place to form the most heart stopping, terrifying, jolting vision ever: the Eye of Bakura itself.

Yugi's eyes widened to their fullest extent in alarm and panic. It was the Eye! The exact same eye he had seen at the Prancing Pony, only smaller in size. He stood in rigid terror as he gawked upon the flaming exterior surface, its orange, red, maroon, and black colored flames mixing into a pure evil wreath of flame, and the long, slender diamond-shaped pupil of Bakura's Eye that stared straight at Yugi. He could hear his cold, bone-chilling laugh course though his ears, deep with malevolence. The hobbit even thought he had heard him say softly, "_I see you . . ._", but he was too frightened to really care.

Something tickled on his chest, like a cold metal surface brushing against his skin. Though he didn't take much notice of it at first, the Ring had fallen out from beneath his shirt and was not hanging from its silver chain toward the Eye.

A burning sensation flowed through Yugi's body when the Ring went in sight of Bakura's Eye, as if the Dark Lord had just decided that he wanted the Ring at that moment and was trying to kill Yugi. His arms and legs started to shake from the pain and his eyes glazed over as if he was dying, but the hobbit's mind was still fresh and working hard on how to get out of Bakura's sight. Slowly, his mental conscience forced his arm to release the edge of the bowl and grasp the Ring while his back tried to arch back into an upward position. With all of the strength he could muster and large pants coming from him, Yugi was able to cover the Ring from Bakura's sight and, as a result, became released from the dying spell held upon him.

He used his last muscle strength to push himself back, away from the basin that stood in the middle of the clearing, as well as the pool of water that allowed him to see what was to come in the future. He fell backwards, waving his one free hand in the air as if to cushion his fall. His back then hit the soft, grassy ground below him and that knocked the hobbit's mind back to reality and away from that horrible nightmare.

His nerves on end, Yugi sat up quickly in an upright position. His frightened eyes looked around frantically for the Eye, just in case it had followed him into the real world, but found that he was safe. The only living being around him was Isis, who still stood calmly by the fountain across from him. His violet eyes looked at her blue ones, and Yugi found himself searching them for some sort of explanation or description of what he had seen. He couldn't see how she could just stand there, her posture calm and relaxed, or how her eyes revealed nothing but that same wise, creeping presence.

Seeing that he wasn't going to get an explanation from the elf, Yugi shook most of his fear away and attempted to stand up. He did so, while at the same time taking off the Ring around his neck and held it firmly in his palm. Then the voice of Isis startled him as he turned around to face her once more.

"I know what it is you saw," She quietly and serenely told him, as if it was nothing new to her. She closed her eyes for a second and lowered her head as if seeing something under her eyelids. The necklace around her neck briefly flashed a faint golden light, its decoration of the eye shining in the moonlight. Yugi was puzzled of this, but was torn away from his thoughts as the tanned elf opened her eyes again. But there was something else in her eyes now. Was it . . . a sense of knowing? Hatred? Or was it something more?

"I know what you saw," She continued, "Because it is also in my mind." Yugi felt this strange presence in his head at that moment. It felt as if some sort of gate that blocked entry into his thoughts had suddenly been opened and a light of mystery had entered into his mind. Then he heard a whisper in his ears, as soft as wind brushing a tree leaf. He looked expectantly at Isis, confused by her actions of entering his head. Then he heard her voice ring through his body like a bell, serious and doomed-like in tone.

'_It is what will come to pass if you should fail, Ring-bearer._' A sharp jolt of shock ran through him as his mind went over what he had just seen. If Isis was correct, then all of those events, like the invasion of Selendrills in the Shire and Anzu, along with his other friends, would be tortured to death, would come true if he did not succeed in destroying the Ring.

Isis started to telepathically speak again in his head and Yugi was forced to look into her mesmerizing gaze. '_The Fellowship is breaking. It has already begun._' Her eyes and lips were not moving. In fact, nothing about the wise queen was moving. All Yugi could tell from emotion from her were her eyes, like always, and how they stared accusing at him that almost made him flinch. '_He will try to take the Ring. You know of whom I speak. One by one, it will destroy them all._'

Suddenly, Yugi got an idea. If Isis was able to speak to him through a mind-link, why couldn't he? It was worth a try, so Yugi concentrated hard on finding that mysterious light in his head and focused on it, trying with his best efforts to talk to it.

'_If you ask of me . . ._' He tried to tell it, holding out his hand and opening it to reveal the Ring lying motionlessly on his palm, '_I will give you the One Ring._' Right now, all Yugi desperately wanted was to get rid of it and to return to the way of life he once knew. He wanted to see Anzu working at the Green Dragon again, with Hiroto and Otogi sitting by his side at the bar with the brunette, laughing and joking about the events of the fun and peaceful day they had had. He wanted to sit by the fire of his grandfather's living room with his friends and Grandpa. And if ever possible, even if it wasn't, Mahado telling them stories about the adventures that he had experienced in Egypt. He wanted to get rid of this terrible burden that he held in his hand and to never remember it again.

But by the shocked look in Isis's eyes, it soon became clear to Yugi that that future would never come true. But then, as if the Ring were a magnet, Isis started to slowly approach the hobbit, a now wanting gleam in her blue eyes. "You offer it to me freely?" She whispered in a disbelieving way. She reached out her hand in a graceful way, holding out for the Ring lying in his hand, and for the first time, Yugi felt a doubt in Isis's loyalty to the Fellowship.

"I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired this," She whispered. She was standing right above him now, her hand hovering over the Ring and her face all zoned in on his hand. Suspicion rose in his throat, as well as fear for what was about to come. He could see that Isis was fighting with herself about her predicament because of her frozen features and shaking hand.

"In place of a Dark Lord," She started to whisper quietly, but as she spoke, her voice turned to a yell, "You would have a queen!" Yugi jumped back, his hand still outstretched with the Ring, as Isis backed away, lifted her hands into the air, and started to hover above the ground. Her voice turned deep, as if distorted by another force in her throat that made it sound evil and frightening. Her pupils shrunk until they were dots, and the air around her turned a sickening green that made her clothes and skin glow the same color. She looked like a demon from another world, which didn't go to well with Yugi. "Not dark but beautiful, and terrible as the dawn! TREACHEROUS AS THE SEA! STRONGER THAN THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH! **ALL SHALL LOVE ME** . . . AND DESPAIR!" Her clothes were billowing in an unknown wind, as well as her dark hair. During this entire time, her now black eyes were on the Ring that still lay on Yugi's palm.

But then the golden necklace that still clung to Isis started to glow a bright golden color, blinding Yugi and making him look away. He heard the demon Isis scream in pain from the beautiful and reassuring light, and then the scream and glow both faded, allowing Yugi to look back at the terrible scene.

Then the wind died down, the green light faded around them both, and Isis returned to normal. Her clothes and hair stopped moving, her eyes returned to their normal state, the moonlight was back, and Isis's body floated down until her feet touched the floor. She was gasping for breath, her eyes wide with terror. Yugi looked down, for he did not want to see her like this.

When Yugi had enough courage to look up again, hoping not to see the demon Isis again, he saw that her right hand was gently touching the eye of her necklace as she stared down at it. "My Millennium Necklace has allowed me to pass the test . . ." She gasped. Isis looked away from Yugi and toward the direction of her right. As if seeing something else from her necklace, she nodded faintly, "I will diminish . . . and go into the West," She sighed as if in relief, "And remain Isis Ishtar."

Yugi felt a sudden wanting in his heart, as if this statement hurt him, "I can't do this alone, Isis!" He pleaded her to not leave, to stay by his side like his other friends and help him in this fight. Isis opened her eyes and looked over at Yugi in a knowing way.

"You are a Ring-bearer, Yugi," She told him, as if scolding him for saying such a thing, "To bear a Ring of Power is to be alone." She walked up until she was standing right over him, "This task was appointed to you, Yugi Mutou. And if you do not find a way, no one will."

Yugi sighed and nodded, dread and grief flowing through him. "I know what I must do, it's just . . ." He looked up at Isis and saw what appeared to be pity in her now calm eyes, "I'm afraid to do it."

Isis bent down so that her face was at height with Yugi's, "Yugi, even the smallest person can change the course of the future."

"How do you know this?" Yugi asked defiantly. How could she be so sure he could do such a thing? He watched as Isis once again put her hand on the necklace embracing her. She softly smiled at him.

"My Millennium Necklace allows me to see into the future. Though the visions are clouded and indecipherable, I know it is true that evil will not prevail."

"But you said it yourself that you saw visions of the future as a dark one!" Yugi retorted, "How can you say that?"

Isis just smiled at him even more warmly, "That was before I had passed my test to resist the Ring, Yugi," She explained, "But now that I am free of that destiny, I can once again see the light."

Yugi finally understood as he gazed into her eyes, not afraid of them any longer, for he understood her pain. After a moment of silence, he nodded his head, lifted himself up to his full height, and grasped the Ring that was still revealed in his hand tightly. He was ready for the next challenge that came his way. For Mahado, his friends, and the fate of Middle Earth.

Isis nodded also and stood up fully. She placed her hand on Yugi's back and pushed him forward a bit. "Right, now, go back to your camp. You still need your sleep." Understanding what she meant, Yugi nodded, turned around toward the staircase, and ran up them as fast as he could, thinking inwardly that the next day would be the start of a new, determined Yugi Mutou and not the scared one that he had left behind at the clearing with Isis.

'_Although_,' Yugi thought humorously, '_I don't think I'll be getting much sleep tonight. After seeing Selendrills attacking us, a future that isn't so bright, a dream with the Dark Lord and his Ka, a possessed elf, and the death of my best friend in one single day, who could?_'

**FINALLY! I HAVE UPDATED! And with a big, nice long one, I might add. This also turned out to be 12 pages on my WORD document. I hope you enjoyed this very much, especially since it took me a while to update this, so stay tuned for the next chapter. I'll get to work on it as soon as possible! R&R, but no flames please? **


	35. Birth of a Selendrikal

**Author's Note:** I feel like screaming right now! As usual, I'm SO sorry that I haven't updated in a long time. I think this is a record. What is it now? More than a month? AHH! That's way too long! Lol. Remember when it used to be that you waited only a day for me to update the next chapter? Yeah, it seems a long time ago, too. Ah, well. Please forgive me. I'm sort of relaxing now because I have this weekend off, so I can write. I am REALLY enjoying this right now. After a zillion tests, the PSAT, and all of those extra-curricular activities, one could see why. So, while I sit here and listen to my Harry Potter CD, I'll thank everybody for their wonderful and enlightening comments.

Thanks so much to, as usual, Isis the Sphinx, cheeky-eyes, "unknown" (Wow! How many comments did you post? Nevertheless, they all made me smile.), and "Rikusgurl" (Seriously, like "unknown" said, you need to get one of those cough drops. But thanks for the reviews, anyway! (cough) Even though I was right behind your shoulder the first time (cough)).

I'd also like to announce that I've posted a new story/poem. It's just one chapter, though, so it's complete. Just go to my profile to check it out. It's called My Lord of Dragons, but has no relation to this story. I'll just thank the people who reviewed on that story here: Isis the Sphinx, "unknown", and Yami Roojii. They all really mean a lot!

Since this A/N is long anyway, I'll just add this: I've decided to announce who my 100th reviewer is/was! So, drum roll please, congrats to . . .

"_Rikusgurl"!!!_

Yes, and thanks to all the other reviewers who have finally made my story reach more than 100 comments! I never thought I'd get this far! So, without further ado, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 36: Birth of a Selendrikal

Dartz smirked as he stood waiting in front of a black fire that prospered evilly in his trenches of Isengard. Compared to the other fires surrounding the one Dartz watched, this particular black fire burned five times bigger, creating an almost unbearable surrounding heat wave. But Dartz could stand it. He was, after all, _the_ Head of the Order for all wizards around the earth. A little heat couldn't falter him.

Besides, Dartz knew exactly why the black fire was growing so large compared to the others, and it made his heart pump blood through his veins fast with excitement and ambition just thinking about the result of what that black fire was producing.

"How nice . . . a Selendrikal," Dartz murmured in an evil tone that made the Selendrills surrounding him want to back away, "Master Bakura will be quite pleased." Almost as soon as he said it, an ear splitting roar erupted from the giant fire that burned before him and the Selendrills, making most of the lizards cover their ears in agony at the sound. But all Dartz did was smirk even wider and chuckle. This was exactly what he wanted.

With another loud roar bellowing out from the fire, the flames suddenly parted in two, making way for the dangerous creature that it had now made. Suddenly, out from the fire, a giant black blur leaped out from the flames and shot straight up into the air. The Selendrills around Dartz all immediately backed away, leaving their master standing alone in front of the fire. With a loud _BOOM_, the creature landed onto the ground, creating a seismic wave that would have surely caused an earthquake. Some of the rocks of the trench walls crumbled to the ground as the creature's landing force struck them.

Dartz stood not five feet away from the black creature that knelt in a crouching position before him. Slowly, the monster flexed its newborn muscles and stood up straight, growling loudly all the way. Dartz smirked all the more once his eyes experienced the height of this awesome and evil creature. At the least, it would have been over eight feet tall. At first glance, the Selendrikal would have looked just like a Selendrill, except for the height. The only other difference was that its skin, covered in the embers of the flame it had been born from, was purely black and that its wings were much larger, capable of lifting its body off of the ground and into the air. The Selendrikal's muscles were fully developed, as if it had worked out all of its life to gain them and had not just been born. Its hand and feet nails were surprisingly sharp and glowed red from the hot flame. Its teeth were also very sharp looking, glimmering red in the trench's molten lava light. Horns stuck out of the back of its head, just like a Selendrill's, and its eyes glowed red with anger and curiosity.

When the Selendrikal finally noticed Dartz in front of it, the black lizard growled all the more loudly. But Dartz was prepared for this and its attempt to strike at self-defense. Before the creature even had a chance to raise its gripped hand, Dartz lifted up the magic within him and focused his thoughts on the Selendrikal's mind. Once he got a firm grasp on the empty and angry thoughts of the monster, Dartz extended his mind to its.

'_Do not even try to attack. It would all be in vain anyway_,' Dartz spoke telepathically to it. He saw the look of confusion on its face as it heard the wizard's voice, and noticed how the growling seemed to cease. This was good for Dartz. '_I am not here to harm you. I am here to help you._' Again he could see the look of confusion on the Selendrikal's face and how it was fighting with itself to make a decision on if it should trust Dartz or not. '_Listen, you have been summoned to bring justice onto this earth. The world needs your assistance in this horrible war, and I'm here to aid and prepare you._' More confusion. '_I think the only question now is . . . will you help me, as well?_' There was a moment's pause as the Selendrikal ran all of this through its head, and then it gave a swift nod to Dartz and relaxed its hands. Dartz could not help but grin wildly and then released a small, faint chuckle of wicked joy.

"Take him to the tower," Dartz commanded swiftly, turning on his heel and setting off in another direction. When he saw the hesitation of the Seledrills at touching the giant creature, Dartz gave them a look of annoyance. "It's alright. He won't hurt you . . . yet." And with that, he could no longer contain his excitement and walked away laughing hysterically.

* * *

Dartz walked up the last step of the staircase up his tower, finally at his destination of the top floor. There, he expected to meet the newly born Selendrikal that was to have been taken up to this location. As Dartz had left the trenches below, he had seen how some other fires were growing larger than normal and roars had been erupting everywhere. This pleased Dartz greatly to know that an entire army of Selendrikals were being bred on his land. But the wizard knew that there was something extremely special about the one he planned to meet at that moment. There was just something about it. It was like a giant wave of power were pulsing off of it, like a nuclear bomb just waiting to explode. And that made Dartz happy . . . _extremely_ happy.

As he walked through the corridor that led to his destination, Dartz heard strident yowls of protest on the other side of the black doors in front of him, and then the sound of bodies, or something similar, crashing against an iron wall. Quickening his pace, Dartz walked toward those doors and lifted his hand to open them, preparing himself of what he would see when they did open. But when his fingers were inches away, there was a loud _BANG_ and the doors swung open rapidly. Dartz only had time to raise his magic up and conjure a shield before the body of a Selendrill hit him full force. The body made a cracking noise, as well as a cry of pain, before falling to the floor limply. As Dartz looked up, he saw the Selendrikal standing in the center of the room, its muscles fully flexed and its chest rising and falling in swift gasps.

Dartz lowered his shield slowly, his eyes staring straight at the lizard in front of him, observing how ready it was for action and how suspiciously it looked at him. Dartz decided that this was a good thing.

'_You know,_' Dartz spoke telepathically to it, walking toward the Selendrikal slowly, '_Your attempts to protect yourself are only hurting yourself. They **are** your allies, after all._'

'_They . . . try . . . HURT ME!_' The Selendrikal replied back through their mind link. Dartz shook his head as if scolding a two-year old child.

'_I'm sure it was for your own good,_' Dartz replied, '_Why would they try to injure the key to this war's success?_'

'_Try to . . . put . . . metal on me!_' The creature screamed, a growl emitting from its throat.

Using his magic, Dartz securely closed the doors behind him without any effort of his muscles, along with scooting the bodies of the dead Selendrills out, as well. '_And that, my friend, was for your own protection,_' Dartz chuckled a bit, '_You **really** need to learn how to control that temper of yours. But no harm done. Now . . ._' He now stood before the Selendrikal and stared into its eyes, '_Let's get down to business, shall we?_'

"Let's start from the beginning," Dartz spoke aloud. The Selendrikal stared out the single window, which let in the rays of the gray light from outside, emitting soft growls now and then as Dartz told his story. "Do you know how the Selendrills first came to be?" Dartz asked, "They were dragons once. Taken by the darkness of the Shadow Realm, they were tortured and mutilated." The Selendrikal seemed to get angry at this and roared out a loud growl. Darks started to walk around the creature, observing its bodily format. "They became a ruined and terrible form of life. But now, they have become perfected . . ."

The monster lifted its head proudly, understanding what Dartz said. Dartz now stood a ways off from the creature as it flapped is wings and snarled viscously. "You, my friend," Dartz continued in a soft voice, "Are one of the chosen few who are stronger than any elite force known to man. You can fight longer than man, run faster than man, see and smell better than man, why you can even fly, which is something man will never achieve. The only thing left to do in order for your kind to prosper . . . is to kill the enemy," The creature roared loudly at this, "Welcome to the world, my fighting_ Selendrikal . . ._"

To test the Selendrikal's loyalty, he added this final question: "Whom do you serve?"

And with a cold and chilling voice, the Selendrikal replied, "_Master Dartz!_"

* * *

Dartz stepped down to the trenches below, where his army of Selendrills all stood, waiting for his order and explanation for the meeting. Standing on a ledge of rock that was higher than the rest, the wizard looked down upon the thousands of monstrous lizards that waited for his explanation below. Smirking a little, Dartz raised his hands to the skies.

"Luck is upon us, my fellow followers of Master Bakura," Dartz began, "We have been given the gift of the hierarchy Selendrikals!" Roars of approval came from below, only to be silenced by the raised hand of Dartz. "We have only one thing left to do," He paused here to add a bit of drama, letting the Selendrills become anticipated by his silence. Then he spoke again, "We must engrave the sign of the Orichalcos in everything you see in these trenches! Yes, that includes the walls, the armory, the wood . . . it even means that you must engrave the sign upon yourselves!" Looks of shock were received up on this comment, "Though, I would suggest that you do not cut yourself on the forehead, for that would be plain stupidity."

The Selendrills stood still for a moment, trying to absorb all of this information. But then Dartz's patience ran out, so he narrowed his eyes, gripped his fists, and the raised his hand again. "Well? What are you all waiting for? You see I have completed my speech, so get to work!" As if the clue had just dawned on them all, they all jumped at the ferocity in Dartz's voice, and then started to frantically run around and start engraving the sign of the Orichalcos on everything they could get their hands on.

Soon, as Dartz walked back through the tunnel from whence he came, the wizard could smell the unmistakable stench of Selendrill blood, and he could only imagine what it must have been like to carve the glorious sign of the Orichalcos in their own flesh. It made Dartz chuckle as the circular sign appeared on his forehead, gleaming aqua blue in the dark tunnel.

Now Dartz headed for the other side of Isengard, where his newborn army of Selendrikals were waiting to be given their orders. Upon his arrival, he immediately recognized the Selendrikal that he had talked to earlier that very same day. The Selendrikal was standing on the ledge of a rock that Dartz was to stand on in just a few seconds as he came closer towards it. This was all alright, though. The Selendrikal had been appointed by Dartz to be the leader of the army, and right now it was rallying up its own kind to become excited.

As the lead Selendrikal caught sight of Dartz coming from the stone tavern in which he had been walking through, it immediately turned toward the group of lesser Selendrikals and commanded for their silence. Dartz nodded to the Selendrikal in approval, not thanks, and then faced the monsters below. Dartz raised his hand for complete and utter silence, for the creatures had not settled down completely, and then started to make his announcement.

"Hear me now, my army, and listen well!" He began, "I have received orders from Bakura earlier today, and he wants us to take action into the next part of our plan to take over Middle Earth and free this world of our enemies once and for all!" The Selendrikals below all erupted into a thunderous cheer below, full of roars, snorts, grunts, and growls. After a moment of tolerating this, Dartz finally raised his hand again and the group fell silent.

"But before we can do that, there are a few obstacles in Master Bakura's way that he himself can not remove on his own. So, he has graciously asked me to exterminate those obstacles and clear his path to definite victory!" More cheers sounded from below, but the lead Selendrikal uttered an ear-splitting roar that commanded silence once again. Dartz did not acknowledge his thanks to the creature, but instead continued on, "Our mission is simple . . . defeat the Fellowship at all costs, and our victory is insured!"

The Selendrikals grunted in agreement and acceptance, quieting down when Dartz started to speak again, "Hunt them down and do not stop until they are found! You do not know pain, you do not know fear. You will taste man flesh!" The excitement was too much for them all to contain, so at that point all chaos erupted as the Selendrikals cheered at this statement.

Dartz considered his speech done, so he turned to the lead Selendrikal that stood beside him and prepared to give the final part of Bakura's orders. "One of the half-lings carries something of great value. Bring him to me alive and uninjured." The lead Selendrikal growled in disapproval, but kept its tongue, waiting for the last part of what Dartz had to say.

"Kill the others."

* * *

Dartz stood on the round balcony of his dark tower of Isengard, gazing at the grounds below. His face was unreadable, for all he did was stare, his eyes, both aquamarine and golden, were the only part of his body that moved. The winds from the mountains, heated from the molten lava from the trenches, ruffled his ocean-colored hair and white robes, making the wizard's cape blow back and sway in the breeze.

Dartz didn't realize any of this, though, for he was too busy analyzing and observing the activity of the Selendrills below. Like spiders and insects, they crawled out of their working ditches, their dirty armor on and sharp weapons at hand. Even from his distance high above, Dartz could tell that they all bore the sign of the Orichalcos on their possessions, and even themselves, most on their upper arm, a dirty mess of blood dropping swiftly to the ground as they ran. The wizard smirked and glanced down to the hanging stone pendant that bore the original symbol of the Orichalcos.

Then there was a roar in the air, and out from the cracks in the earth flew out the enormous Selendrikals, with their armor gleaming in the firelight and their weapons new and clean. Their wings were spread out to full length, flapping heavily in order to keep the lizards' large bulk off of the ground. The Selendrills, while running, stared up at their higher status race in awe and jealousy as the monsters flew above them and started to scream orders. Dartz recognized his lead Selendrikal and watched as it made its way to the front, flying low to the ground, guiding his army to victory.

Seeing this made the evil joy in Dartz's heart rise almost painfully. He started to chuckle at first, but it soon rose to a hysterical laughter that even his army could hear from below. For minutes Dartz laughed, his mind racing through what he had accomplished for his master, Bakura.

'_Let's see you stand up to THIS, little hobbit!_' Dartz thought in a menacing way, still laughing, '_My army is ready to devour you. You AND your weak Fellowship! **The time has come for darkness to cover Middle Earth, and for all light to fade into nothingness!**_'

**And that's it! Yay! The line thing is working again! Did you enjoy it? I hope you did. I didn't expect to enjoy writing this chapter so much! Can you guess where Dartz's last statement came from? I'll give you a hint: Look in the place where you first read about my story, and you'll find the answer! So what did you think of it? Like it or don't? R&R, but no flames please?**


	36. Departure from Lórien

**Author's Note:** As promised! I'd like to first of all apologize to any and all of my readers that have waited for more than half a year for this next chapter. After updating my last one, I've realized that some of my story plots don't really match up well and blend in together. I've made some YGO characters a bit OOC, and have been a bit too bland on my descriptions. Because of this, I've been taking this time off from writing to gather myself together, broaden my range of television anime, and try hard to increase my writing skills. I'm sorry that you all had to wait, and I've been meaning to pick this up again for a very long time, but just never did for some reason or another. But, please, do forgive and forget, and enjoy this new chapter of my now continued story!

Well, for my reviewers this time (which was a very long time ago), I'd like to thank Hydro-Wolf, Isis the Sphinx, "FoxWarriorNiacara" (I like that part, too. "THAT STILL ONLY COUNTS AS ONE!!!"), "unknown", and Red.Eyes.Black.Dragon.2400 for your support. Your reviews meant a lot to me.

And, if you haven't noticed, I have added yet a couple of stories up (one is just a little poem, though). "Angel From Above" is one (it's a Christmas poem, so sorry about that) and the other is "Black Wings and a Broken Promise" (This one is for the 1 year anniversary of YGO leaving America on June 10, 2006). I'll be adding up another one soon, too.

So, here's chapter 37, and we can FINALLY return to the entire Fellowship. I know some of you were asking me to return to some of the characters, so here you go. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Lord of the Rings.**

Chapter 37: Departure from Lórien

As the morning sun rose above the horizon of the Earth, its brilliant rays of light fell upon that of the forest of Lórien, the dew on the vibrant green plants glistening in clear, crystal prisms. All life awoke at the sight and warmth of the sun's beams. There was the potential of a new day ahead in the air, the promise of a new beginning in one's life.

For the Fellowship, this was exactly what they were hoping for; to leave the past behind and start over in their quest to destroy the Ring. It was a determination that lifted even the gloomiest man's spirit. And that was what they had been counting on.

* * *

'_Sounds . . . voices . . . where am I?'_

And then it all came back to him. Yugi slowly opened his eyelids, letting the light slightly burn his eyes for a moment as they adjusted to the bright world around him. At first, Yugi didn't know what he was looking at. It was all strange and confusing, so much different from his home in the Shire.

Lying on his make-shift bed for a minute or two, Yugi spent this time gathering his thoughts. His body felt warm from the wool blanket that covered him. He really felt like going back to sleep again, to forget all his problems and act like he was back at home, but he couldn't. Too much relied on his actions. And so, with a depressed sigh, Yugi used his fully-restored energy to sit up and lean over the side of his bed.

The hobbit thought that he would take a moment and ponder over all that had happened over the night once more while he waited for his body to wake up. He first thought about his dream with Bakura, and then his meeting with Isis. He thought about the elves, as well, and how they planned to leave Middle Earth.

Just as he we beginning to realize how tired he felt, he heard a quiet '_flap_' close by. Looking up to the entrance of his tent, Yugi was surprised to see Atem walking over to him, the sunlight gleaming through the tent's cloth, making the gold covering his body shine with unnatural beauty and his Egyptian skin blaze with strength.

"Yugi? Are you alright?" The Pharaoh asked tentatively. He gently sat next to Yugi and looked at the hobbit with concern on his face. Yugi was surprised to hear how sincere he sounded. Surely a great Pharaoh such as Atem wouldn't waist his time worrying about _him_, would he?

"I-I think so. Why do you ask?" Yugi replied. He was beginning to wonder if the others were starting to realize his fatigue.

"You've slept in very late. Everyone else is almost ready to go," Atem answered. Surprise spread through Yugi as he thought about how this event had turned out.

"I didn't get to sleep until late last night," Yugi tried to explain, "I guess my body just needed the energy." Though he could tell that Atem didn't fully believe him, the nod of acceptance made it clear that he wasn't going to press further.

"Well, come outside, then," Atem invited, standing up and starting to walk toward the cloth entrance. "Everyone's been wondering about you, somehow or another." Without another word, he exited the tent through the flap. Giving another huge sigh, Yugi also stood up and followed suit.

The light that flooded over him was almost unbearable compared to the darkness of his tent. So intense, Yugi found that he had to cover his eyes from the blinding glow of the sun. After a good moment, Yugi lowered his arm to observe his surroundings.

There was commotion everywhere, with people running, yelling, conversing, and even dueling with swords. It appeared that Atem had gone over to his tent to attend to his own personal business, while Jonouchi was over by the fire, eating a foot-long stick of freshly cooked sausage. It surprised Yugi at how a small giggle seeped out from inside of his mouth at the site, considering how exhausted and gloomy he felt. But still, laughter seemed to escape him.

On the other side of the camp stood Seto, Hiroto, and Otogi. From the looks of things, it seemed as if Seto were scolding the two hobbits for something they had caused. Out of the corner of his eye, Yugi noticed that there was black smoke hovering in the air a ways away from the three, and he could have sworn he had heard Seto yell something like, ". . . Could've burned down the entire forest, you idiots!" Both hobbits looked ashamed, and suddenly Yugi noticed that they had black soot all over themselves.

'_Cling!_', '_SHRANG!_'

Yugi's attention was moved to the middle of the campsite as he watched and listened to Boromir and Anzu battle with swords. The sound of clashing metal mixed with muffled dueling instructions, as well as the hard look of concentration on Anzu's face, told Yugi that she was learning how to fight with her own sword. Not only that, but it looked like she was doing quite well for a beginner, which made a small smile grace his lips.

All state of consciousness suddenly seemed to disappear as the hobbit watched her move around graciously, sword flinging in the air, whipping and slashing to meet with the opponent's strikes, reflecting golden sunlight off of the polished metal. Her brunette hair seemed to wisp in the air and her azure eyes glinted in concentration. The site was so appealing, Yugi found it hard to take his eyes off of her.

"Hey, Yuge, you're finally awake!"

Jonouchi's cheerful voice, though, seemed to accomplish the task as Yugi was regrettably torn from his daydreaming and thrust back into reality. Slowly turning his head to meet his friend's eyes, Yugi saw the golden-haired warrior running over to him, sausage-stick in hand.

"Hey, Jonouchi!" Yugi replied as cheerfully as he could, thinking that it was nice to see a friendly face at last, but sad that he could no longer leave his attention on Anzu. When Jonouchi finally reached the small boy, panting and puffing, he put his hands on Yugi's shoulders in a rough yet caring way.

"You had us all scared for a sec', ya know!" Jonouchi gasped, out of breath. Yugi just mindlessly smiled and nodded in return. When he saw that Jonouchi wanted a verbal reply, though, Yugi decided to answer truthfully. After all, that what friends did, right? Speak the truth to each other and support one another? But still there was a thought in the back of his mind that told him that no one could help him, for he had a unique burden.

". . . I had a rough night. I'm sorry I worried you all." That was all he could say.

But all Jonouchi did was nod in understanding, which made Yugi sigh silently in relief. "Who could blame you, Yuge? After all you've been through, it's no wonder you can't sleep." Though it was a sincere and kind reasoning that explained well what Yugi was feeling, the soft voice in his head continued to tell him that no one could understand him, no matter what they said. And with listening to the voice without any doubts, Yugi decided not to mention anything of the dream or of Isis, and pretended to go along with Jonouchi's reason, inwardly keeping his thoughts to himself.

At that time, Jonouchi took his hands off of Yugi's shoulders and looked around. It looked as if Seto had finished his argument with Hiroto and Otogi and was now walking by both of them at a very fast pace, muttering curse words under his breath. "Freakin' morons," Yugi heard him mutter, which gave a clue to Yugi that he was not to be messed with at the moment. Not that he had any intention of doing so, anyway, though. Yugi, after all, was a smart boy.

Suddenly, a question formed in Yugi's mind. Turning back to Jonouchi, he asked, "Jonouchi, do you have any idea when we're leaving? Atem told me that everyone was ready to go. Why are we still here?"

He had thought that it was a simple enough question to answer, but it was at that time that Yugi forgot who he was talking to. As if contemplating a serious and difficult problem, Jonouchi scratched his head, deep in thought, and then after a moment shrugged nonchalantly. "Got me there. Why don't we go an' ask him?"

"Atem? Well, if you insist . . ." Though they had grown close through their journey, Yugi still didn't feel completely comfortable around the Egyptian pharaoh. First of all, he _was_ a pharaoh, which was reason enough. But, second, it was extremely strange to look at someone he really didn't even know existed and realize that they were practically twins. Though Atem didn't seem too bothered by it, Yugi didn't follow. But, everyday, it did seem like he was growing used to it, which, in his case, was a good thing.

Following Jonouchi over to the royal, golden travel tent that was Atem's, Yugi observed the pharaoh's actions that were so much like what he would do. At the moment, Atem was summoning a shadow creature from his Millennium Puzzle, which took his letter and few off in the southern direction.

"There, that should satisfy him . . ." Atem murmured to himself, watching the black-feathered creature fly off.

"Satisfy who?" Jonouchi interrupted. Atem quickly turned his head in surprise over at the two, but then relaxed.

"Oh, it's you two. I meant that it would satisfy the High Priest that's substituting for me while I'm gone," Atem informed them. It seemed to be enough for Jonouchi because he quickly went to the next question on his list.

"Hey, we were wonderin' when all of us will be leavin'. It _will_ be today, right?"

Without looking up from putting his writing utensils away, Atem answered, "Yes, yes, we will be leaving soon. But, I was informed by Isis that she would like to formally give us a farewell, as she put it. I agreed, since she has given so much for us." Atem looked up as Jonouchi seemed to ferociously jump in frustration.

"What?! But that's what happened last time! Why can't we ever say somethin' like, 'Thanks, bye' and be off? Why do we _always_ have to have some sorta ceremony before we leave?" Jonouchi feverishly ranted. Atem looked confused by his outburst, but answered calmly nonetheless.

"It's the elves' tradition, Jonouchi. Didn't you know that?"

Jonouchi shook his head. "I don't know nothin' about no elves," He replied stubbornly, crossing his arms.

"Nice grammar, dwarf," Seto noted as he walked by, carrying a bucket full of water over to the fire.

"WHATDYOUSAY?!" Jonouchi yelled back, and Yugi thought he saw a vein on his friend's forehead pulse violently. It took all of his mental strength to suppress his giggle. When Jonouchi received no replying taunt, he turned on his heel, fist in the air, walking ungracefully over to the other side of the camp, though Yugi doubted that he knew where he was going.

Seeing as how Yugi hadn't said a word yet, Atem decided to put some light into the conversation. "I hope Isis comes soon. We really should be getting on our way," He observed.

"You're right there, Pharaoh" The hobbit agreed.

"There is no need to wait any longer," A female voice interrupted, making everyone in the camp turn their heads in the direction of the disembodied voice. There, at the main entrance to the camp, stood Isis. And behind her, flanking both of her sides, stood Malik and her husband, Karim. "I have arrived."

"'Bout time," Yugi heard Jonouchi murmur loudly.

As the arrival of Isis became known to every Fellowship member, they all started to gather together, until they formed a seemingly perfect straight line facing the three elves.

"Isis," Atem started, "What is it exactly that you wish to do?" Isis did not answer immediately, but rather held the moment of silence to a dramatic pause, closing her eyes as if thinking. Yugi, as well as some of the others, though, noticed that her Millennium Necklace had started to glow a faint golden light.

'_She must be looking into the future_,' Yugi thought in understanding. Once Isis reopened her eyes, her gaze was mystical and unreadable, like a queen of complete secrecy and enchantment. Her body did not move at all, making her seem like a beautifully crafted doll, paralyzed for all eternity.

* * *

Isis Ishtar, the queen of Lórien, closed her eyes gracefully. Reaching for the magic within herself, she quickly grasped it and activated the power of her Millennium Item, the Millennium Necklace. Pleading it with her mind to reveal the future of the brave souls that stood before her, she released the magic so that her item may absorb it and serve her will. '_Let me see into their days yet to come. Please let me see what their eyes behold!_' She prayed.

Almost as if it were a person, the Necklace tested her strength briefly by sending an electric pulse through her body, as if to check that someone of the wrong spirit were not using it. Once it became 'satisfied', the Necklace quickly activated, using the energy of Isis's will to see the oncoming future.

Isis felt as if she were leaving her body. Hanging her hands limply to her sides and relaxing her muscles, her soul drifted above her earthly body, lifting above all others around her. Then she felt the immense suction of the portal that would take her essence to her destination. Giving up freely to the force, she soon became surrounded in flashes of random scenes from peoples' and creatures' lives. But soon she saw what appeared to be a glare of light at the end of the tunnel that she was zooming through. It was the future.

With what felt like an abrupt halt, Isis flowed through the beam of light and onto the other side, where a mysterious future lied. Now concentrating hard to remember what she saw and to ask questions later, the light around her started to bend and turn slightly, tints of color being added to the mysterious figures, to which they finally formed images . . .

_

* * *

_

_. . . A battle in which black and green creatures fought against what seemed to be only four men, some aided by creatures at their sides . . ._

_. . . A dark castle stood drenched from the falling rain. Winged lizards, their numbers in the thousands, surrounded the castle, releasing arrows, swinging swords, and bellowing fire out to the defenders who tried to protect their home, family, and their lives . . ._

_. . . A city carved from the white cliff itself burned as a wave of black flowed into it, killing all in its path. Clouds of shadow surrounded the city, blocking all sunshine and all hope from reaching the doomed citizens of the white-stoned buildings. Many people fell from the rocks above, while others took deadly thrusts of a sword through their gut. All was chaos, like that of what the world was soon to be. And from the far away distance, a horn sounded, breaking through the shrieks and roars of the black wave below . . ._

_. . . Black skies twisted as molten lava erupted from a volcano. The land around it was dark, with no signs of life living on it whatsoever. Black mountains surrounded the landscape, forming an evil barrier that let nothing and no one pass through. Green and black slimy creatures crawled over the ground, growling and barking, cutting and bleeding, fighting and brawling. All was chaos. And from the shadows, only lit up by the red glow of the volcano, an ear-splitting roar bellowed out from within the blazing mountain, cold and painful in itself. Then, from the flowing lava at the top, two dark wings spread out from underneath, its red jewels blazing crimson in the never ending darkness. Emerging after its wings, the creature's head and body also soured out until a pitch-dark dragon erupted from the volcano. And there, on its back, was a rider in a black cloak. He had gleaming silver hair . . ._

Isis suddenly felt herself being thrust back by a demanding force, and she knew her time in the future was ending. Without a second glance at the scenes before her, the mystical woman turned away and willingly let her body be pulled by the thriving pull of the present.

_

* * *

_

The weight of her body immediately caught up with her when she regained consciousness. The feeling of the future still buzzed within her soul, but the sounds of the present became too demanding to ignore. Though she didn't open her eyes, Isis paid close attention to the conversation that was loudly raging about around her.

"She is in a trance! Just give her some time!" She heard her brother, Malik, exclaim.

A hasty and accented tone answered, telling her it was Jonouchi whom her brother was arguing with, "She's been standin' like that for who knows how long! We don't have time for this!"

"You should always bear time for my sister!" Came Malik's harsh reply, "If I recall, it was _she_ who saved and protected you! The _least_ you could do is let her have her peace."

Then a softer voice joined in to the conversation, "Jonouchi, Malik's right. What she's doing is probably for our benefit." It was the Ring-barer's voice, Yugi.

"Listen, Yuge, she's just – "

"Just looking into your future to behold what lies before you," Came Isis's calm reply at last. She had now fully opened her eyes, staring at each and every individual. No one spoke, but Jonouchi looked like he was ready to explode. "Jonouchi, I would have expected a little more from you, coming from your harsh past and current state. Do you not wish to know what dangers lay before you?"

A brisk snort was his reply, but he gave a bow nonetheless as his apology. "I just want to continue our journey as fast as possible, Isis, that's all," He explained with his most formal tone. Isis chose not to reply, but instead revealed what she saw through the magic of her Item.

"The reason why I was what appeared to be paralyzed was because I was looking into the future with my Millennium Necklace to see what dangers await you all." A slight stir rippled through the Fellowship as she gained their full attention, "What I have seen will not please you, but it will prepare you for the days to come."

And so she began. "I see that many dangers lie in the upcoming days of your lives, very soon. But, my advice is to look deep within yourself, and do not be afraid to unleash your powers." Isis secretly wondered if they all understood what she was hinting at, but did not pursue.

"I also saw many more chaotic battles that will, without a doubt, change the course of history forever. I do not know the result of these wars, or the number of you who will die, but I do know this . . . there was no mistaking it . . . Gondor will be attacked by an army so formidable, it has the potential to destroy the city and burn it to the ground." The obvious shiver that ran up Boromir's spine was a clear enough reply, for she knew how much the city of Gondor meant to him. With her crystal azure eyes, Isis gazed at him firmly until he seemed to relax a bit and his breathing came out evenly once again.

"One last thing: it seems as if Bakura has not finished his work. He will unleash a devilish creature that will possess incredible powers. Even the volcano of Helmosore itself erupted in its presence. I could not get a full view of it all, but I will tell you this: Please, I beg you, do not forget it! Beware the silver-haired rider!" Her words sent wonder and fear through her spectators, but she knew it all had to be revealed if the Ring was to be successfully destroyed.

"I will not pursue any further, but please take heed of my words. Do not forget them on your life's value." The point seemed to be understood, and so she was satisfied. Nodding her head, Isis glanced over both of her shoulders and signaled for Karim and Malik to stand by her side. Judging by the look Malik was giving them, the Fellowship got a very faint idea that they were to line up horizontally to face the elves and await their farewell. They did so, where now the two groups aligned to make two parallel lines, representing their respect for one another and their equality.

Without a word, Isis disconnected with her family and walked very slowly to the end of the line, gazing upon each and every soul that stood before her, thinking of what destiny held in store for them. Reaching the end, Isis now turned toward Boromir, who was to be the first man to receive his honor. Once again signaling over her shoulder to her brother, Malik immediately came forward to stand just a foot behind her. It was then that the members of the group realized that the tanned elf was carrying an enormous golden bag, glimmering in the sunlight that was now bursting through the trees of the deep forest.

"Lord Boromir," Isis began, "I can tell by your eyes that you have fought many hardships in your young life." Boromir bowed his head, as if it were a regret he had to bare. "Tell me," Isis continued, "Why did you come on this journey?" It was a simple question, but took much time for Boromir to answer.

"For my entire life, I have been challenged," Boromir breathed quietly, "I've been told that there was nothing I could do to become a soldier of Gondor, but I've tried my hardest to prove them wrong." The members of the Fellowship all stared at Boromir in wonder, for they had never seen this side of him before. Isis did not look astray, but she could sense their curiosity. "I came on this quest," Boromir said in a more firm voice, "To do something right in my life, and stay a true soldier to Gondor. And if I die fighting, at least it will be for a purpose."

All was quiet, for Boromir's words had struck the hearts of many. It was as if the entire world were awed by the emotion that Boromir had suddenly confessed. "I've never told anyone else about it in my life . . ." The soldier explained quietly again.

"Those are the words of a true warrior, Lord Boromir," Isis finally commented. This made Boromir look up in surprise. "I had certainly hoped to get that out of you, and for it you shall be rewarded," She glanced at Malik, "Brother, if you please . . ."

Malik nodded and pulled out from the golden bag a sword of elegant makeshift, covered in a hand-crafted sheath of brown leather. Boromir, as well as all of the others, gazed in awe over the beauty of it, as if it had been the world's finest treasure. Isis watched as Malik walked over to face Boromir, and respectfully handed over the sword, which the warrior took with violently shaking hands. Gasping with his breath, Boromir slowly pulled the blade out from its sheath to reveal a golden, elf-made masterpiece. Its handle was made of brown leather, like its cover, while its blade shone in the sunlight, like a golden glow of fire. The sword fit perfectly into the shape of his hand as he swung it around in the air. There were no flaws in its structure whatsoever.

"T-Thank you," He stuttered as he put the blade back in its cover and hooked it onto his belt, taking off his old one, ". . . Your Highness," He quickly added, momentarily forgetting to whom he was speaking to. This sparked a faint glimmer of amusement in Isis's eyes, for she found it strange at how the young soldier always seemed to find the right words to say at the strangest time and place.

"There is no reason to thank us," Isis replied briefly, hinting nothing of her silent delight, "What you have said more than proves your worthiness of it." Boromir nodded and then held his head high in newfound determination.

Satisfied with his obvious emotions that blazed around his soul like smoke, Isis walked calmly over to Boromir's companion by his right. Atem stood straight and tall with pride in the presence of Isis and her family. The elf queen bowed her upper body low to show her honor and respect for Atem's position as Pharaoh, while Atem lowered his upper body even lower to show his respect and lower status compared to the queen of all mystic elves. It was a greeting between royals.

"Pharaoh, I once again would like to thank you for gracing our lands with your presence. It is quite an honor," Isis began. Atem chuckled with his deep, godly voice, as if it were meant to be a joke.

"Please, Isis, there is no need for formality. I know you must get through with all of us before midday, so please, continue at a fast pace. You and I are long-time acquaintances. Don't you consider me as a friend by now?"

"Perhaps," Isis replied, "But I am still forever grateful." Though no signal was given, Malik almost instantly stepped forward to reach into the bag to retrieve a golden, elegantly carved bow. With it came a back quiver that was just as intricately designed. Atem made no motion for it, for he had been properly raised and knew not to snatch things from others' hands, but his eyes and bodily twitches plainly showed his excitement.

The bow had many curves and swirls engraved and formed into it. Its surface gleamed from the sun, just as Boromir's sword had done, which was quite bright. The string that connected the two ends for releasing arrows seemed to be made of hair, but yet more sturdy and durable. The ends of the bow curved into beautiful designs that seemed to, in a way, guide the way arrows were meant to be aimed. Overall, it was a precious and deadly weapon that had been made to its most intricate and special designs to cover up its purpose.

Atem's slightly quivering hands slowly and royally took the bow from Malik's hands, to which he then strung an arrow from his new arrow basket and stretched the string back all the way with the arrow, together in unison. There seemed to be no flaws, for it fit Atem's muscular structure and strength ability perfectly.

With utmost care, Atem lowered his weapon and it strapped to his back, and then turned to face Isis once again, who was quite pleased by the Egyptian pharaoh's surprise by her people's work. "I thank you by all the sands of Egypt and by the god of Ra for this beautiful weapon. I will take it with great care, I can assure you." That was the answer Isis had been searching for, with none of a surprised or baffled tone of voice, but one filled with strength of emotions. She bowed her head, a few black hairs falling out of place by gravity.

"It is our pleasure, my Pharaoh. Once again, thank you." But without a single word, Isis turned onward to present her gifts to the other guests.

Presenting endowments upon the three hobbits accompanying Yugi was fairly simple and easy. Most of the time spent was used awing over the extreme carefulness, detail, and generosity of the elves. Both Hiroto and Otogi received heavy-duty armor made of silver and leather, with many eccentric and organic designs. The metal was so heavy, however, that it almost bolted both hobbits to the ground, but after a few light adjustments, it fit them just fine. Anzu was entrusted with a long, silver rope by which the small female hobbit almost fainted over when she accidentally brushed Isis' soft hand in receiving it. Jonouchi had been given an axe to replace his old one, which he had been forced to leave behind in the tunnels of Moria. It was not as if the warrior had screamed in utter joy, but he did smile and skillfully swing the feather-light weapon around a few times, testing it as if it needed to be worthy of his possession in the future. Apparently it was, for Jonouchi soon nodded and tucked it in the gap between his belt and his armor.

". . . Kaiba, there is nothing more I could give you," Isis conveyed as she gracefully walked over to where she could face the tall brunette, softly speaking so that no other could hear, "Than what is already around your neck." Seto was trying immensely to reveal no emotion on his face, but, Isis noticed, he couldn't help but uncomfortably glance down at his chest, where the glittering dragon pendant glistened in the morning light. Isis could tell that he knew this, for no elf could ever give away something more important to another than his or her own spirit. That is what Critiàsa had done. And that is what made it so special.

Isis found it hard to read Seto's eyes. Not because he wouldn't look at her or make eye contact, for he had always been like that, but because of the sadness kept within them. They were deep and cold, barely showing any emotion, making him seem more like a mindless vessel than anything else. The elf queen did have incredible powers against humans, yes, but it seemed that, through the man's sheer determination and harsh past, if Seto only wished to contain his emotions and feelings within himself, even she could not read them. So there was only one thing left to do.

"You also bare a great burden, do you not?" Again, no response. Isis took that as a perfect reply. As if confirming something, Isis chuckled softly to herself, her eyes closing for a moment. "Kaiba, I know you have no wish to speak with me, but please find it somewhere in your heart to listen to what I have to say." A blink of his eyes. That was it. The only response he could make, but Isis decided it was enough.

"As I said before, there is nothing more that _I_ could give you . . . but there is someone else who can." Another nervous glance at the dragon pendant. Could it have been that he already knew who? _'Perhaps,'_ Isis confirmed to herself, for it made the realization all the sweeter. "A dear friend of mine has asked me to give you your gift in her name, which I will gladly do, for she has longed to see you."

"Please don't tell me . . ." Seto murmured softly to her, his voice sad and excited at the same time. Isis gave him a soft smile before raising her hands to her Millennium Necklace, once again calling upon the magic within her to come forth. He knew. Isis could tell now. His eyes, though still icy, now contained a bit of warmth in them. A ray of hope. The tall brunette had no problem now to look at the elf queen in the eye, for it was in them that he hoped could cure his pain, if only by a small amount. "Give my greetings to Critiàsa for me, please?" That was the last remark Isis said before the man before her was engulfed in the golden light of her Millennium Item.

* * *

Seto could feel a soft, cool breeze brush against his skin. His eyes were closed, but he could still sense everything around him. He was lying on a patch of grass, that was for certain, for the green leaves that surrounded him felt cool and soft to the touch until his fingers reached their pointy tip. Through his eyelids, the warm rays of the sun shone brightly, lifting his spirit a little. No danger from Seledrills lay here. He was safe. Safe from all danger. He had no desire to move from where he lay, for it might disturb the peaceful chaos that he was basking in.

But then he saw the image of a girl's face appear in his mind's eye. Her golden hair gleaming in the sun's light, her black dress flapped freely in the wind as she danced gracefully in the field before her. Her bare feet jumped happily in the air as the mysterious woman continued to move her body in the sun, flower petals floating in the air around her body, as if entranced by her elegant movements. Through her dance, the girl slowly turned her head his way, revealing the hazel eyes of an elf that burned into his skin like fire. The message in her eyes said everything to him, a motivational message so emotional that no words could describe their meaning. Her eyes were telling him to wake up and come toward her. Critiàsa was waiting for him.

The image fading away in the sunlight, Seto found himself unconsciously opening his eyes. The light that surrounded him in an instant was intensively bright, causing him to close his eyes once again and to use his arm as a quick shield. Waiting for the flashing, colorful lights that were dancing around his eyelids to disappear, Seto sat up in the grassy field, the wind around him increasing, its cool breeze calming him to the point that he opened his eyes once again and looked around him.

He was in a green, grassy field that stretched as far as the eye could tell. Blue and yellow flowers surround him, as well, growing healthily in the field, their colors vibrant in the sunlight. He could see a faint line of trees in the background, but they were too far off in the distance to tell anything else about them. Seto had no idea where he was or why, but all of that faded in his mind as he slowly began to notice the elegant feature that stood before him in the field. It was the elf, Critiàsa.

She looked as beautiful as ever, in his opinion, with her golden hair, hazel eyes, and pale skin. Unexpected joy slowly spread throughout his body at the sight of her, thinking briefly that his troubles were over now that she was here, but the feelings quickly faded as he realized how strained and stressed she looked. Standing up with all of the might in his body, Seto quickly walked over to her, a shade of worry contaminating his heart as he saw what pour condition she seemed to be in. He wanted to hold her, to make sure that she was actually there and not just an illusion, and to comfort her to make this new tiring look vanish.

Holding out his arms for her, he slowly advanced, only to watch in horror as she quickly backed away before he could touch her. Lowering his arms, Seto stared at her in wonder. Never before had she backed away from him. Why had she done it now? Even in the darkest of times, she still had accepted him, and nobody else. _Why?_

"Critiàsa . . ." He began, only for her to cut him off by raising a hand. He stopped immediately, waiting for an explanation.

"Please, Seto, you can not touch me . . ." She calmly informed him, looking at him straight in the eye. There was no sadness revealed, no pain, but only regret.

Seto did not understand any of it. Never had she been like this to him. Of course, she was an elf, so her way of thinking was different from his, but he still could not understand. Standing up straight and returning her stare with his cold and icy glare, Seto narrowed his eyes and asked in a deep voice, "Why?"

"Because the moment our bodies touch, you will be sent back . . . and I don't want that . . ." She softly replied, letting down her guard and lowering her head.

"Sent back? To where?" Seto continued to pester, consciously keeping up his guard for any surprise incidents.

"Where do you think?" She cried back, lifting up her head viciously. Her eyes were now visible, but they were finally leaking out emotions, for soft trails of tears fell down her cheeks, their bright, hazel color now darkened and full of sadness. It suddenly struck Seto now at how hard it must be for her to go through with this. But had it not been her who had requested seeing him? Should she not be filled with happiness instead of crying the life out of her body? "Please, Seto, don't make this harder than it already is!"

"Alright, alright, I won't!" The tall brunette swiftly replied, backing away from her so that she could have some room to herself. It worried him that she was so distraught, but this sappy stuff had to end. He needed to get back soon, to continue with his journey, but it was hard for him to bring himself to do it. He could not leave now, with Critiàsa like this.

"Critiàsa, why did you want to bring me here?" Still, Seto knew that he had to go soon. This would all have to be short.

"I had to warn you . . . you see, my father has been watching the enemy very closely for the past few months," The Elvin maiden began, bringing her hand up to her eyes to wipe the tears away, leaving a sparkling, wet mark on the top of her palm. Setting her face hard once again, Critiàsa looked up at him with stern eyes. "You know how my father has the ability to see into the near future, yes?" Seto nodded. Though Elrond was not as powerful as Isis, who held the Millennium Necklace, he still could foresee into the future a few days ahead of time. "Yes, well, he says that Dartz has found a way to give birth to no only Selendrills, but to Selendrikals, as well."

A sudden jolt of shock bolted up Seto's spine as he listened to what Critiàsa told him. Selendrikals? No one had ever been able to summon a Selendrikal since the days of Bakura! How had Dartz been able to bring one forth? "Wait a sec, _Selendrikals_? You mean more than one?" He asked in shock, hoping that what he was thinking was not the answer.

Critiàsa reluctantly nodded. "He's building up an army of them. Dartz has sent them after you and the Fellowship in order to obtain Yugi and the Ring. He says that in a few days' time, you will have no choice but to fight them, for they are fast approaching."

There was no way Seto could reply to that. How had Dartz found out their location? And he was sending an entire army out just to extinguish Yugi and the Fellowship! Just when things started to look hopeful again, Dartz always had to stick his nasty foot into things in which it didn't belong. He could feel sudden anger rising up within him, but he couldn't care less. A whole army of _Selendrikals_, creatures ten times worse than Selendrills, were traveling hundreds of leagues at this very moment in order to reach him and his fellow travelers! How exactly could he stay _calm_ at the moment?

"If what you say is true, then I have to leave right now, Critiàsa," Seto told her sternly, looking into her brave eyes. He saw a wave of sorrow cloud them as he continued to gaze upon them.

"No, please! You can't leave yet!" She suddenly burst out. This caught him by surprise. Hadn't she just been hard as stone to him? What was with the whole 'lets-stay-and-talk' act? Why _now_?

"And why not? Critiàsa, I know you want me to stay, but I have to go back and warn the others! What you've just told me could save our entire lives! Don't you want me to live?"

"Of course I do, why do you have to ask that?" The elf replied coldly, as if the answer had been an obvious one. "But I still want to see you! Aren't you going to ask why I look so tired?" The question had actually been bugging Seto the entire conversation, but the shocking news of Dartz's intentions had drove him away from asking it at the moment.

"Yes, actually, I was. But don't you want to appear all strong and courageous to me at the moment?" The remark hadn't even gone through his thought process yet. It had just slipped out, as if he were actually asking for an argument. He could see the hurt on the elf's face when she heard it, and he immediately regretted saying something so cold to her. "Wait, Critiàsa, wait. I . . . I'm not exactly good at this kind of stuff . . ."

"Hmph, you never were," She replied softly, but he could tell that she had let it pass over her this one time. It was times like these that he was glad that the elf could be very understanding.

"Is it because of this?" Seto asked cautiously, placing a hand over the dragon pendant that she had given to him. It was the pendant that contained the spirit of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, as well as her own. Critiàsa slowly nodded, resting her eyes on the diamond pendant.

"Every day my strength is drained little by little the more I am separated from my Ka . . ." Critiàsa murmured quietly, just loud enough for Seto to barely hear. "I will not last much longer if this keeps up," Wish a deep sigh, Critiàsa relaxed her shoulders and muscles until she looked more fragile than Seto had ever seen her. She had always appeared to him as a strong, able woman who could always carry her own. But now . . . she still looked healthy, but nothing compared to her usual self.

Suddenly, Critiàsa began to stride toward him. Startled that she was coming to end their conversation, Seto began to quickly back away as she continued to advance. Yes, he needed to get back to his body, but part of him, deep inside of his spirit, did not want to leave just yet. He still wanted to stay . . .

"Don't worry, I'm not going to touch you," She quickly told him, making him stop in his tracks. Though she continued to walk up to him, he believed her when she said that she was not going to touch him, therefore sending him back to reality. Extending an arm toward him, though, Seto began to have his doubts. When she was right upon him, though, she simply just placed one of her pale fingers into the dragon pendant that hung around his neck. Almost immediately, the circles below her eyes and the cloudiness of her hazel orbs vanished as she gained energy from the Ka that bound both of them together.

Suddenly realizing something, Seto gasped quietly. "Wait, are you using your own energy to keep us here?" He asked quickly. Looking up at him, Critiàsa revealed nothing in her face.

"Isis helps me when my energy becomes too strained," She replied, her voice sounding suddenly much healthier as she continued to touch the necklace.

"You know that's a stupid thing to do, right?" Seto replied, only letting a hint of his worry escape in his tone, "You should let Isis do this alone. You're too weak to do this."

"I can handle everything just fine, Seto," Critiàsa replied sternly, a faint glint of her old self returning to her.

"Still . . ." Seto wanted to continue, but stopped when Critiàsa pulled her finger away from the pendant and took one step away from him.

"I am keeping you here too long, aren't I?" Critiàsa asked softly, a gentle smile on her face.

"It's alright, really," Seto hastily replied, not wanting to leave yet, "Besides, don't you want to gain more energy from your Ka?" He held up the pendant to show her, as if she didn't know what it looked like.

"What I have gained from it already is enough to last a good, long month. Do not worry about my health. I am an elf, do you not remember? I can survive in much harsher conditions that you can. A little loss of energy will not harm me," She smiled cheerfully at him, though he knew that even the slightest disturbance could wash it off, "And the White Dragon is not my Ka anymore, have you forgotten?"

"Hmph, whatever," Seto replied, crossing his arms and turning halfway away from her. He did not yet want to believe that she had given her life force to him, a worthless human, in order to insure his safety. Nothing made sense anymore.

Giggling softly, Critiàsa started to walk forward again, "It is time for you and I to return to Middle Earth, Seto . . ."

Once again, Seto began to back away, still not wishing to return. Critiàsa narrowed her eyes at him as she saw him step backwards, "You have a world to save. Do not back away from what must be done. Go back and warn your friends of the incoming threat."

Turning his head away, Seto firmly replied, "They're not my friends."

"Whether they're your friends or not, they all are waiting for you to return and save their lives by warning them all. Don't forget, Yugi holds the One Ring, which will destroy Bakura and all evil in Middle Earth. You _cannot_ fail them all!"

". . . I know that." _'I just don't want to deal with all of this.'_

Critiàsa chuckled faintly, placing her hand on the dragon pendant. "Don't worry," She smiled up at him, humor spreading across her face, "I'll be there whenever you decide to chicken out!"

And then she softly placed her lips against his, sending them in a portal of never-ending light, and back into the real world.

* * *

Isis could feel him returning. Though it had taken some time for Seto to return from where he had been then, it had only taken seconds in the real world. The golden light of her Millennium Necklace started to fade, revealing all of the members of the Fellowship covering their faces from the light. Only Seto stood straight, his hands hanging limp at his side and his eyes, once cold and hard, now, for a brief moment before returning to the way they were, warmer and more caring.

When the light faded and only the rays of the sun that burst through the leaves of the forest canopy illuminated the scene, all Fellowship members leaned over to look at the tall young adult. Jonouchi, who was standing right beside him, shoved his elbow into Seto's side, apparently waking him up from what was left of his vision. The blonde warrior received a cold stare in return that read nothing else but 'drop dead'. Jonouchi seemed to ignore it with a smug smirk that spread across his face.

"So, Kaiba, what'd ya dream about?" Jonouchi annoyingly asked, his smirk becoming wider as he saw Seto blink in realization.

"Go jump off a cliff, Jonouchi," Seto quickly replied, turning his head back over to Isis, who seemed to look upon him more honorably now.

". . . Kaiba, now comes the part where you must choose," Isis began, sending a scolding look at Jonouchi for his question, then gazed back at Seto, "I know that you do not want to accept your past, but you must learn to accept it. If you do, you will have the glory of becoming greater than all of your fathers past of Gondor. But if you choose not to, you will have no choice but to be captured by the darkness that surrounds your heart . . ."

Once again showing no emotional feelings through his eyes or face, Seto stared into the abyss as he listened intently to what the elf queen had to say. In his mind, as he watched her walk away and towards Yugi, the last in line, he thought he heard her voice speak, _'She has helped you, I can tell . . .'_

Yugi was not looking at anyone, not even Isis. His head was hanging down, his hands hung limp at his side, and his back slouched to where he not only looked like a depressed hobbit, but an unhealthy one, too. His eyes would not leave the ground. He would not look up at Isis. His entire body itched to move, for he had been like that since the ceremony had begun, but the hobbit's spirit refused to look up. He would not be taken by those eyes in which he had seen turn so evil the night before. He was afraid that they might change again, that she might want to take the Ring away from him again. And he did _not_ want to lose the Ring.

Isis could feel his trauma. Though it faintly disturbed her that Yugi was beginning to feel the impulses of the Ring's power, she still continued to have faith in him. He had been approved of by many high-ranked and skilled elves and magicians. He had shown her many times that he was ready to feel these impulses by revealing his courage to her. And not only that, but Isis could see deep inside of him a power so great, so pure, that even the dominating evil powers of the Ring would have a hard time conquering this pure, heavenly goodness. She believed in him.

Extending her hand towards Yugi's face, she placed her finger under his chin, receiving a sudden jump from Yugi as she startled him, and pulled his face up gently so that she could gaze into his violet eyes. They were so full of sadness and confusion, Isis could feel the emotions rushing through her like a stream. From her arm to her heart to her toes, Isis could feel the impact the Ring was taking on Yugi as he continued to deal with his burden. It was almost too much of a tragic story.

"Yugi, I know what a heavy burden you bare. I can feel it with every passing second, just as strongly as you can," A glint of hope seemed to arise in Yugi's sad eyes as he realized that someone, even for such a brief time, was sharing his pain and was giving him a chance for help. Isis gave him a soft and friendly smile as she gazed down upon him, for she still truly believed that he was the only one who could handle the feelings that the Ring thrust upon him.

"But now I must say good-bye, Yugi Mutou," She knew his reaction was to be sad, for no one wanted to be left behind with such a terrible, lost feeling, "I must say that in all of my many, long years on Middle Earth, Yugi, you are the most courageous boy I have ever encountered." The hobbit gazed into Isis's eyes, still looking for comfort, for some sign of reassurance, and Isis planned to give it to him. She knew that once she said this, Yugi would once again be ready for the journey ahead, and he would, maybe, be able to conquer the grief that was being held inside of his heart, a grief no young hobbit should have to bare.

"Yugi Mutou, you have the heart of Ra. Forever remember that, and you shall never be threatened by the darkness again . . ."

* * *

"Well, I think that's everything," Atem mussed as he watched members of the Fellowship hurry back and forth, gathering their travel packs and bags and returning their camping spot to the way it was before they had arrived. Everyone had been shocked when Seto told them about the Selendrikals. Though panicked at first, once everyone began to calm down, with Isis's help, they had all agreed to get moving as quickly as possible in order to try and escape the approaching hunters.

Now, the Fellowship members were packing away their belongings onto three Elvin boats formed from the bark of the trees of Lórien themselves. Atem rushed hurriedly through the bags of supplies that the elves had given them all, which included food, water, and camping supplies made by the elves. He barely even noticed the two hobbits sitting on a tree root right beside him as he rummaged through the baggage.

"Ah, amazing!" Atem suddenly exclaimed, his violet eyes lighting up in wonder as he lifted what appeared to be a single loaf of bread.

"What's amazing?" Otogi asked as he swung his legs back and forth above the ground. Hiroto, who was sitting next to him, also looked at Atem in confusion.

Atem held up the piece of bread to the two hobbits, walking up to them in enthusiasm, "This is Lembas, in other words, elvish waybread!"

Lifting up his eyebrows, Otogi gave Atem a confused look, while Hiroto gave more of a 'yes, and what's your point?' look. Still burning in new-founded enthusiasm, Atem took one, almost non-eatable sized bite out of the bread and smiled happily.

"We can go on this for days! One small bite can cure the hunger of any grown man, satisfying his or her hunger completely!" Atem explained, hastily placing the bread back into the pouch and heading off to the boats, carrying the rest of his belongings.

Watching Atem leave through the trees, Otogi knowingly scooted closer towards Hiroto so that they could talk in a much quieter tone. "So, how many slices did you eat, Honda?" He asked quietly, his expressions trying to fight away the growing smirk that was growing on his face.

"Four."

**GOMEN! GOMEN! So sorry that I didn't get this in for a long time, but look at this! It's really long! Don't you just love long chapters? I thought you might enjoy something longer after the LONG wait. Please tell me what you think so far! I don't care what you say, just say it and get it off of your mind. I enjoy every review. And, for any new readers who have waited for me to update, just want to say that I'm glad you chose to read it, 'cause it's only gonna get better! Until next time, R&R!!!**


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